Position process as the foundation on which everyone in an organisation can shape and improve the way that business operates.
Give people a clear starting point and watch those opinions and ideas garner momentum.
As soon as people see the word ‘process’ they immediately think, ‘Yeah, right. What you’re trying to do is take away my freedom and monitor me.’
This resistance is a great shame, especially given the negative effects of chaos and a lack of structure. Without an agreed baseline, it is difficult to provide a pathway for process improvement. Too much is left to chance and interpretation, and great ideas have nowhere to be channelled, resulting in mediocrity.
Someone comes up with an inspired way of doing something and, rather than tearing it up, ignoring it and moving on, others refine and build on it with proposed tweaks and additions. Rather than reject an imposed process, leaders and managers should become more inclusive, inviting feedback so that good ideas are moulded into something special that everyone supports, allowing innovation to thrive.
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