I recently attended a course on teamwork. All of the participants were well-educated professionals. One of the activities involved following a series of 12 verbal commands in order to solve a word problem. At the end of the exercise, only 2 of 15 participants achieved the correct answer. The instructor then went on to discuss active listening and how to help team members improve their listening skills.
From a quality improvement perspective, the simple exercise reminded me of how important it is to develop a process map when evaluating an established protocol or standard operating procedure.
By enlisting the help of those that are performing the process on a daily basis, it is often quite interesting to see how the actual process differs from the written, “defined” method. Many times, I hear from my clients that the original process was modified to fit a certain person or necessitated by unique circumstances. Thus, the current process may look nothing like its original design.
Once a current basic process map is created, it can then be used as the basis for other evaluations, such as a more in-depth mapping exercise or to help determine what data should be collected. A good current state map is also essential as a team begins to develop the future state of the process and compare where change(s) need to be made. The team needs to know where it’s been before it can decide where to go.
A detailed process map can take time and input from several sources, but the benefits are worth the effort. By taking the time necessary to confirm the accuracy of the process map, a team is guaranteed that they are beginning the project from the best starting point.
How are you helping your employees to work smarter by reducing the amount of time they spend on non-productive activities? If your business processes need a “check-up,” please email me at michael@leadingchangeforgood.com! I’d love to help you get back to a healthy, productive workplace!
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