For many years, it’s been my privilege to work with many small-to-midsize businesses, helping them to implement lean practices via SOP (Standard Operating Procedures) documentation. With good systems, those businesses are generally thriving!
So, tell me, why do many business owners prefer a hands-on method of controlling virtually every facet of their business?
Why cling to habits that only lead to frenzied activity and frustration? I call that MADNESS!
Fear Prompts Hands-On Madness
I submit that these owners cling to that hands-on everything method, due to FEAR…
- that someone won’t do a job the way they would do it
- a crucial or devastating error may occur, if they’re not eyeballing every step of a process
- they might lose an account or some new business, if they don’t speak directly to the customer or prospect
- that someone may order the wrong supply from a vendor, causing a bottleneck
- fear that someone may not check and compare what was purchased with what was delivered;
- or, fear that what was ordered by a customer, is different than what was invoiced
Fear is AVOIDable
The truth is, there is a better, easier, more affordable, less-timely, less-wasteful, and less-frustrating way to operate a business. FEAR is avoidable!
Implementing a few simple SOP’s can alleviate those fears. The solution is, a step-by-step procedure or checklist, written or verified by the owner, showing how the owner would do the job themselves. The steps, written down on a quality control checklist, show exactly the way, and the order in which, a job or project is done.
Replacing the Hands-On Method
Sound simple? YOU BET IT IS! However, it does take some time!
What I know about TIME is… it goes BY, whether we’re proactive or reactive. It goes BY, whether we choose to continue “business as usual,” or we choose to change!
Did I mention? Great systems work!