by John Gross
Most businesses think that their processes are broken when in reality the business has outgrown them. They often outgrow their current processes due to various factors related to growth, change, and evolving business needs. Increased scale and complexity can strain existing processes designed for smaller operations. As companies expand their customer bases, product lines, or geographic reach, the demands on their operations often exceed the capabilities of current processes, leading to bottlenecks and inefficiencies.
When a process is no longer providing the results needed by a business, then it is time to map the current-state process flow to identify inefficiencies, bottlenecks, and redundancies, and rework them. These are the opportunities that should be addressed with new, future-state processes. (One tip—map your process as it is, warts and all, to get a true picture of opportunities.)
For those of you who are unfamiliar with the concept, process mapping is a visual tool used to understand and improve workflows. It involves creating a step-by-step flowchart diagram that illustrates how the process works, including inputs, outputs, decisions, and inventory.
Once you have a new process design, remember to update your process documentation and train everyone on the new process.
Overall, companies outgrow their current processes due to a combination of factors, including growth, technological advancements, market dynamics, and organizational changes. Adapting and evolving processes are essential for companies to remain agile, efficient, and competitive in today’s business landscape. They are part of the natural lifecycle of a growing business.
John Gross is an EOS Implementer who helps businesses achieve Vision, Traction, and Healthy. You can contact John at John@ DrivingChangeInc.com or call 636.667.0579.