Paid to Follow Procedures?

January 25, 2010

Mike Stromsoe replied to the last tip with an interesting question …

“Should any incentives or other motivational tools be used in any of these processes? If so, how?”

For newcomers, the last tip started a discussion about how to get your team to actually follow procedures.

I began with team involvement and buy-in via consistent objectives & reasoning and explaining “the why” of your processes. You can see the whole tip at http://freedomthroughsystems.com/2010/01/11/getting-them-to-do-it/.

And now to Mike’s question about incentives and motivational tools …

This is a tough one, for sure. My knee-jerk reaction is to say no, because…

… it’s difficult to imagine giving someone a DIRECT incentive for following a procedure, isn’t it?  After all, isn’t that the job you pay for?

But let’s take a more general approach to Mike’s question and see where it leads.

First, you must make it everyone’s responsibility to follow your procedures PLUS provide feedback and ideas to improve them.

Blindly following procedures that don’t work is no better than not following them in the first place.

So, your entire team MUST participate in Systems Improvement. It’s the only way to a Systems Culture.

Second, add those responsibilities to their position descriptions. Put it in writing, so they know you’re serious.

Third, add them to your reviews. Does team member follow documented procedures? Does team member contribute to systems improvements?

Positive or negative ratings on these items should have a major impact on any compensation adjustment.

With that said, when we come back to incentives for following specific procedures, I still have to come back to my first reaction – which is no.

I believe incentives should always be tied to results, and …

Your processes should always be designed to maximize results, and …

Your team’s goal should always be to improve processes to achieve better results.

So, if the reward is for following the procedure, then the results become secondary. Not good.

Instead … if, by following a documented procedure, your team achieves a desired result, reward them for that – and ask …

How can we improve the process to do even better?

Thanks to Mike for the great question. Made me think. I’d love to hear your thoughts. You can comment below.

Next time we’ll continue with ways to get your team to actually follow your procedures.

© Copyright, 2010 by Sweet Spot Marketing, Inc. and Joseph J. Hagan, Jr. All rights reserved.

2 Comments | Mindset For Success, Staffing Structure, Techniques | Permalink
Posted by Joe Hagan

Getting Them To Do It

January 11, 2010

Talking to new coaching prospects (soon-to-be-clients) lately has raised some fundamental questions about systems and procedures.

And I see these questions play out in real life with my coaching clients.

So, I figure they might be on your mind, too.

One of them is, “How do I get my personnel to actually follow the procedures?”

Great question.

In the land of make-believe-management it’s simply enough to write a procedure and show it to everyone. Good luck with that.

In reality there are lots of answers, because there’s no single magic key. Let’s take a look …

The first thing I’d consider is how you go about designing your systems, processes, procedures … whatever you call them.

There is some validity in the management theory of involving your team to get “buy in”.

Now, I’m not in favor of letting the inmates run the asylum, but having your people involved is easier than forcing things down their throats.

For example, when you’re designing a process you should be …

Establishing goals for the process – are you building a client experience, trying to be as efficient as possible or balancing both needs?

You or your managers must have sensible reasons for a particular workflow. And assuming you do …

Are you communicating those reasons to your team? Do you include those reasons in the documentation? Or do you take a “because I say so” approach?

Your people will be more likely to follow a procedure when they understand “the why”.

So, take the time to explain your objectives and reasoning, and …

… be consistent in your thinking.

When your reasoning is consistent your team will start to think that way, too.

And then you’ll be building your Systems Culture.

Your long-term success with systems depends on creating a Systems Culture

… and that doesn’t happen without team buy-in.

OK. That’s only two aspects (consistent reasoning and explaining the why) of getting your team to follow your procedures. More to come next time …

© Copyright, 2010 by Sweet Spot Marketing, Inc. and Joseph J. Hagan, Jr. All rights reserved.

1 Comment | Uncategorized | Permalink
Posted by Joe Hagan

Starting Right

January 5, 2010

Let’s get 2010 off to a great start! If you don’t get THIS, any attempt to install procedures and systems will be costly and futile.

It sounds like this …

“Joe, I’m desperate for organization, systems, and procedures.  I’m personally enslaved.  Everybody’s doing things their own way, the highest paid people are doing minimum wage tasks, and we have no control over the chaos.  We can’t grow this way, and I just can’t go on this way personally.”  And then the kicker …

“So, how long do you think this ‘systemization thing’ will take?”

I don’t know.  How long do you think this marketing thing will take?  How long do you think this customer service thing will take?

See what I’m getting at?

Creating a systems-run business is NOT a project.  Your personal freedom is not a project!

Permanently attaining the freedom and income you desire requires a lifestyle change for your business…

… a fresh, new perspective on how to run your business … not be your business.

And, like marketing and customer service, systemization never ends.

Now don’t let that scare you!

You don’t stop marketing or improving customer service because it requires work and learning new things, do you?  That IS part of your successful agency.

So, don’t fool yourself into thinking systemization ever ends, either.

Don’t be so naïve to think that a handful of written procedures can permanently transform chaos to order. (Just ask those who’ve gone that route ONLY.)

Successful systemization starts with the right mindset, …

… it gets implemented as a cultural shift in how your agency operates AND …

… INCLUDES procedures, checklists and other documented tools.

And it liberates YOU when it’s no longer thought of as a project, but as a way of life (business or otherwise).

Make this mindset shift now and you’re miles ahead of where you were only moments ago.

Make a commitment to yourself and your agency to always apply Systems Improvement Thinking and Action to your operations.

I assure you this is where successful systemization begins.

To your success in 2010 and beyond,

Joe

© Copyright, 2010 by Sweet Spot Marketing, Inc. and Joseph J. Hagan, Jr. All rights reserved.

Leave a Comment » | Mindset For Success | Permalink
Posted by Joe Hagan