We have documented our core processes, but our employees are still defaulting to their old ways of doing things. How do we ensure our documented processes are actually Followed by All without turning our managers into police officers?

Question

Tyler Smith · Accepted Answer

Documenting your processes is only half the battle. The true test of the Process Component™ is the Followed by All step. If your documented procedures are sitting on a server unused, you have not actually implemented the tool.

To make your processes stick, you must build them into your management habits. First, ensure that your core processes are simplified. If a process document is fifty pages long, nobody will read it. Keep them high-level, covering the major steps that generate consistent results.

Second, use your core processes as the basis for training and onboarding. Every new hire must be trained on the documented way of doing things from day one.

Third, tie your weekly Scorecard metrics and employee reviews directly to process compliance. If a metric on your weekly Scorecard is off track, the first question during your Level 10 Meeting™ should be whether the documented process was followed. If the answer is no, you have an accountability issue, not a process issue.

By linking process adherence directly to daily and weekly metrics, compliance becomes self-policing. Managers do not need to hover over employees because the Scorecard will naturally highlight when someone is deviating from the established system.