Processes - think carefully.

I was away last week, recharging batteries and re-reading Reed Hasting’s book “No Rules Rules” with a particular focus on the pitfalls of processes. Whilst they are designed to help us work more efficiently and effectively, I have seen pitfalls in the past.

Firstly, processes can become too rigid and inflexible. When we stick too closely to a process, we may miss out on opportunities for innovation and creativity. We need to be willing to adapt and adjust our processes as the situation demands, and critically, we need to be confident to challenge them.

Secondly, processes can create unnecessary bureaucracy. When too many steps and approvals are required for a task, it can slow progress and cause frustration among team members. That is self-explanatory.

Thirdly, processes can lead to complacency. When we rely too heavily on a process, we may stop thinking critically about the task. “I just followed the procedure” is the weakest excuse a manager can have.

There are industries where processes are critical: engineering and pharmaceuticals, to name a couple. Being a manager, however, requires continuously challenging yourself and your environment. Hastings, in his book, stresses the necessity of actively fighting the “we have always done it this way” mentality; I, for one, can support that