"I Don't Do Process..."

One of the most common things I hear in my practice is, "Our organization doesn't do process." It's a tale as old as time. It's like the sand that meets the water. Equally, however, that statement is followed and justified by a desire for teams to be uninhibited by these ideas, yet still demands that those teams move with clarity and speed. It's almost as if clarity and speed should appear at the flip of a switch, without resistance or thought.

I call this "intention without intentionality."

In this dynamic, no one is wrong, but no one is right either. Young and even some senior teams want to move uninhibited, "light-weight," so they can maximize their efforts towards a tangible output, which is great. But what process teaches us is where we are lacking. It teaches us what we haven't considered before pushing "Go!" Removing it costs organizations and teams in other ways. Even saying the word "process" within a 5-mile radius of a CEO almost feels like how the characters in Harry Potter must have felt saying "Voldemort." The word carries a certain connotation, a taboo that shall not be named during the all-hands, and like in the movie and in real life, the more we avoid the topic, the more monstrous it becomes.

But it's not all bad. It's a misunderstanding rather than an outright rejection. When I hear, "I don't like filling out forms or reporting my tasks," what I actually hear is: there hasn't been an approach that has worked for us. Each team and organization differs in how it absorbs knowledge or changes course. What works well for the Spurs doesn't work well for the Knicks, and vice versa. Organizations need to meet people where they are.

So what can we do?

Small change is good change. I've seen time and again, through others' experiences and my own, how teams can be overwhelmed when too much is thrown at them at once. New methods should be introduced thoughtfully and gradually for the best results.

Second, in the famous words of Breezy from the song "Kiss Kiss" ft. T-Pain, "What them boys gonna do for me?" You have to show people the benefit. In other words, procure buy-in. In a fast-paced environment, results are expected instantly. The payout of process is not often immediate, but rather a compounding force that pays dividends the longer one engages with it. Ensuring that you showcase those benefits early helps team members understand how it will make their lives easier, rather than seeing it as just another obstacle in their day-to-day.

Lastly, process is an undercurrent. It should not be loud, full of folders and ladders, but flow effectively from point A to B. It's a balancing act of not too much or too little. However you decide to implement this in your own organization or practice, it's important to start right. If you need help or support, we are here.