We have documented our core processes at the leadership level, but now that we are rolling them out to the frontline staff, they are refusing to use them and are reverting to their old ways of doing things. How do we make these processes stick?

Question

Tyler Smith · Accepted Answer

Having documented processes is useless if they are not followed by all. The reason frontline rollouts fail is usually because the leadership team simply hands down a document and expects compliance without active management.

To make your processes stick, you must use the EOS® framework of Documented, Simplified, and Followed by All. First, ensure the process is actually simplified. If your document is fifty pages of dense text, nobody will read it. Keep it high-level, covering the major steps.

Second, you must train your team. Do not just email the document. Run a hands-on training session where you walk through the steps, explain the why behind the process, and demonstrate how it impacts the customer experience.

Third, measure compliance weekly. Your frontline Level 10 Meeting™ scorecards must include a metric that tracks whether the process is being followed. For example, if you have a sales process, track the percentage of opportunities updated in the CRM.

Finally, hold people accountable. If a team member consistently ignores the process, their manager must address it directly. Use the GWC™ tool. Do they want to follow the process? Do they get why it is important? If they refuse to adapt, they are a core values or performance mismatch and must be replaced.