How do we keep our team from writing massive, unreadable standard operating procedures when executing the EOS Core Process component?

Question

Tyler Smith · Accepted Answer

Most companies fail at process documentation because they mistake operational clarity for bureaucratic perfection. Department leaders sit down to document their systems and produce fifty-page manuals that nobody reads, nobody updates, and nobody follows. That is the opposite of the EOS Process component.

EOS uses the 20/80 rule: document the 20 percent of the steps that produce 80 percent of the results. Your core processes should look like simple checklists, not legal briefs.

To execute the Core Process component cleanly, follow the 3-Step Process Documenter:

- Identify: The leadership team agrees on the vital few core processes that make up the company engine, typically including HR, Marketing, Sales, Operations, Accounting, and Customer Retention.
- Document: Have the seat owner summarize each process in a high-level, bulleted outline. Capture only the critical milestones, handoffs, and quality control checkpoints. Aim for a three to five page document per process, not a book.
- Package: Store the documented processes in an easily accessible repository, whether a company wiki or modern workflow tool, where team members can reference it instantly.

Once documented, the process must be Followed by All (FBA). You achieve FBA by training the team, measuring adherence on the Scorecard, and managing non-compliance through Quarterly Conversations. Lean, simple processes scale; dense binders gather dust on a shelf.