Alan Jackson, The Better Business Bureau Ltd.
In my last blog (Business Blueprinting – The Key to Achieving World-Class Performance) I discussed how to banish disorganisation and improve efficiency by systematizing – establishing an operational blueprint that focuses on processes and managing them effectively. A blueprint captures tacit knowledge (what people know how to do but can’t explain), turning it into systems and explicit knowledge that others can use. You get big benefits by systematizing and you carry big risks that key knowledge will be lost, if you don’t.
But most small business owners have more than enough excuses for putting up with the disorganization, lost paperwork, missed deadlines, missing information, errors, wastage and long completion times – and with the consequential under performance and poor profitability.
If you keep doing all the technical work yourself, working in the business, then you’ll be forever be trapped doing it and never free up the time to work on your business. So with all the pressures of running your business, just how do you go about systematizing it?
Well, having decided that you’re going to start doing the strategic work necessary to develop your business blueprint, you need to make time, and this can be difficult at first. Don’t be put off by the size of the task. Remember how you eat an elephant – a bite at a time! So let’s consider how strategic work can be done incrementally, to get powerful results.
- First take a good a look at all the tasks on your to-do list (if you don’t keep a to-do list, start one now!). Identify all the technical tasks and ask yourself, “Does this really need to be done?” and then, “If it has to be done, can it be done by somebody else?”
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Pick a discrete, achievable task, preferably one that’s fundamental to the business
- Document the correct way to perform the task, step by step, specifying what, why, when, who, where and how – use annotated diagrams and illustrations, even video, if they can add value or save on the narrative.
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Note down the quality control standards for each step and for the expected end result – these describe how you know something’s been done properly
- If it’s appropriate, create a check list – a useful aide memoire to ensure nothing is missed
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Have someone follow through the steps with you – then revise the document, until you and your tester are comfortable with your newly documented system.
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File a copy in your company’s Operations Manual.
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Repeat these steps on the next task.
When the new system document is ready, not before, you are in a position to delegate, or even outsource, that task. Delegation without providing an established procedure is abrogating responsibility, which will just sew seeds of discontent among your workforce.
Don’t neglect the training that will be needed to successfully introduce and run this “system”. Learn how best to monitor the delegated procedure – that’s your new job! Don’t micro-manage, but make sure that you are kept in the loop on progress and performance.
Delegating is a big first step toward freeing your time so that you can focus on what’s really important. If you’ve always worked in your business, doing things your way, letting go of these tasks may be daunting. So you’ll need to persevere and take things a step at a time.
Your collection of system documents (your business blueprint) will soon start to grow into a living Operations Manual. This describes “how we do it here”, proven ways of getting consistent results that everyone follows. Note that it must be a living document, subject to continuous improvement, which means your change process is key to sustaining your new-found success.
Systematization and delegation are critical components in the development of a business that is balanced and inclusive. It will help you discover the natural place for yourself, your managers and your staff.
Alan Jackson is a business development coach operating in the UK Midlands region (www.bureau4betterbusiness.co.uk). Follow me on Twitter (http://twitter.com/B4BBLer)
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