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Name of author Rick Baker, P.Eng.

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Bringing Process to People & Bringing People to Process - Part 2

by Rick Baker
On Jan 16, 2014

Link to Part 1

 

Bringing Process to People - What does that mean?

There's a spectrum of answers to that question. The spectrum ranges from Delegation to dumping. Since dumping just creates a pile of garbage we will focus on delegation. Delegation is about assigning and transferring authority from one person to another. So, delegation is the decision-making engine of business.

Delegation is a business Process performed by People. To be more specific, delegation is the Process of assigning and transferring decision-making Processes to People. People can do this Process directly [face-to-face] or indirectly [using tools ranging from memos to phones to email, etc.].

While that's a laborious description...based on how poorly many business people handle delegation it is of value to try new tactics to cause them to give the process of delegation more thought.

There's more to Bringing Process to People.

In summary, there are 2 ways business Processes meet business People:

  1. Delegation - introduced above
  2. Tools - created by people to assist work performance and to assist delegation
In business, tools range:
  • from monitors to metal lathes
  • from wrenches to robots
  • from software solutions to 'STRENGTHSFINDER' assessments
  • from French curves to Facebook
  • from 1-Page Tools to a truck for two men
 
About Delegation & Tools
 
When business people delegate they are Bringing Process to People in two different forms:
  1. They are Bringing Future-Work Process to People - setting expectations and transferring responsibility & accountability. 
  2. They are Bringing Delegation-Communication Process to People - possibly consistent with setting expectations and transferring responsibility & accountability or possibly not consistent with those objectives.
In general, Canadian business people do not invest enough time designing clear work-process and they invest even less time - often, no time - designing ways to delegate effectively. We Canadians need to remedy these shortfalls so we are better able to influence people, inspire action, and grow business wealth. Delegation is a good place to start applying our remedies. After all, Delegation is the Decision-Making Engine of Business.

If we want our business people to excel, we need to prove we care about keeping our decision-making engines humming. 

We can use a range of tools to help keep our engines humming.

1-Page Tools are particularly helpful because they can be customized to fit specific needs and each individual's learning style. 


...to be cont'd


Bringing Process to People & Bringing People to Process - Part 1

by Rick Baker
On Jan 14, 2014

Process - What does that mean?

Processes are sequences of tasks, performed by People or machines.

The sequences of tasks can be simple. For example, a Process might have 4 task-steps which are performed in series...in a defined chronological order...the next task starts after the current task is completed. Think of making cookies from a box of pre-mixed ingredients: that's a simple Process.

The sequences of tasks can also be complicated or complex. For example, sending a man to the moon and back involves numerous task-steps sometimes happening in simple sequences, sometimes happening simultaneously [co-existing], and sometimes causing real-time adjustments to other tasks [interactive co-existence].

Processes can be easy or most-challenging.

Processes happen in either planned or unplanned ways.

And, Business Contains Only 3 Things: People, Process, & Situations.

People - What do they mean?

Now, isn't that a loaded question?

Yes...intentionally.

On the one hand, People are easy to define: they are folks just like you and me. 

On the other hand, each of us is unique.

While certain Processes are easy to define using words like simple, complicated, and complex, it is dangerous to assume such descriptions or definitions can be used with reliability when the topic is People. The word 'assume' was underlined to highlight the difference between assume and conclude.

With that done...

While certain Processes are easy to define using words like simple, complicated, and complex, it can be very helpful to conclude such descriptions or definitions can be used with reliability when the topic is People.

However, before concluding things about other People it is essential to know:

  1. WHY it is wrong to assume but often helpful to conclude,
  2. WHY you must conclude if you are to be successful at influencing people, &
  3. HOW to go about assessing whether or not concluding fits the specific person and situation.
All of this is around the essence of Bringing Process to People & Bringing People to Process.

You've heard the saying, "You can lead a horse to water, but you can't make it drink."

That's a piece of wisdom, which has survived the test of time.
 
How about - 

Success with horses has a lot to do with how you lead them to the water!

 
...to be cont'd

Thought Tweet #908

by Rick Baker
On Jan 8, 2014

Thought Tweet #908 Anyone can become a constructive leader. The right first step is making a small change for the better.

 

The Thinking Behind The Tweet

People who want to be leaders improve the likelihood of that happening when they realize change begins with self. 

Sure, [at least from time to time] we all wish other people would change.

Yet, we know wishing won't get it done.

So, rather than limit it to wishing we do things aimed at causing other people to change.

That rarely works because, human nature being as it is, people do not change until they see change.

So, don't expect the change - be it.

Tags:

Change: Creating Positive Change | Thought Tweets

We grow when we...

by Rick Baker
On Jan 8, 2014

We know Situations hold power over People.

As a general rule, it is more accurate to say Situations hold power over People than to say People hold power over Situations. It's a social psychology thing...mob behaviour, laughing at the boss' jokes, 'trapped' in bad relationships, etc.

At the very least, it is prudent to give The Power of Situations attention and respect. Those who ignore The Power of Situations, either intentionally or unintentionally, indeed lead difficult lives and face never-ending strings of challenging interactions with other people.

Considering this, how do we grow?

I mean, how do we grow our character we bring to our businesses or how do we grow the value we bring to our business tables?

It seems to me...

  1. We grow when we use Good Habits in new Situations. 
  2. We grow when we try New Things in new Situations.
  3. We grow when we do New Things in old/familiar Situations.

These 3 things are how we grow.


PS: We 'hold our ground' when we do Good Habits in old/familiar Situations.

"People need to go through different processes to get to the same place."

by Rick Baker
On Dec 27, 2013

I say Business Contains Only 3 Things: People, Process, & Situations.

My friend Roelf says, "People need to go through different processes to get to the same place."

Roelf's wisdom certainly resonates with me. 

When we arrive in Situations we bring with us our People-stuff. We bring our Self-Image, Our Self-Esteem, and Our Mental Attitude. Here's a link to more on that topic. We bring much more. We bring what we are.  Here's a link to more thoughts on what we bring

When you and I meet in a Situation I bring my package of People-stuff and you bring your package of People-stuff. Each package contains the results of the experiences we have had: our people experiences, our process experiences, & our situation experiences, which contain a heavy flavour of People and Process.

Here's the way I picture it...

Just before we meet in a Situation we each have our Packages of People & Process stuff:

 

 

When we meet in a Situation our Packages may have much in common: 

Or our Packages may have very little in common:

 

Regardless of the things we have in common, there is much difference. We are unique People with, at best, some things in common. 

Let's consider personal comfort, an extremely important ingredient for constructive change.

Say we are together in a Situation. You may be very comfortable in it while I may be somewhat comfortable or possibly very uncomfortable.

Situations are snapshots in time. We have a Situation and things continuously happen to change it. Situations are fluid and rapidly changing...like a series of picture frames in a movie film. Except, in real-life Situations a change in each frame influences the contents of next frame. Even little things can create significant/material changes in Situations.

The little thing could be a little piece of Process...for example, the injection of an agenda into a meeting that had no agenda. Visualize a Situation where that happens. Would you be comfortable with the injection of an agenda into a meeting that had always been agenda-free? Assume you are and I am not...or vice-versa. The injection of a process, an agenda, just changed one person's comfort level. The effect is: at least one person has changed. And that could be a huge change, capable of turning the Situation upside-down.

When you and I arrive in a Situation we bring different packages. We cannot assume My Package and Your Package are equally comfortable with the Situation, or equally interested in the Situation, or having the same thoughts about the Situation, or sharing similar feelings or emotions in the Situation. If we assume these things then we may be totally disconnected with one another and not even know it.

If we assume our Packages are the same then we may take the wrong next step...miscommunicating, misinterpreting, misunderstanding, and missing the fact"People need to go through different processes to get to the same place."

If we assume our \packages are the same then we will miss the facts:

People need to go through different processes to get to the next place.

People need to go through different processes to get to the next Situation.

People need to go through different processes to get to the desired-outcome Situation.

If we miss these facts then we will have little ability to help People achieve their goals.

If we miss these facts then we will have little ability to influence People toward success.

Thought Tweet #899

by Rick Baker
On Dec 26, 2013

Thought Tweet #899 Change is tough. Some can't do it. Some won't do it. So they struggle with leadership.

 

The Thinking Behind The Tweet

Perhaps too many people attempt changes that are too large?

Perhaps too many people believe too much of the criticism they receive?

Perhaps failure to change is more about not knowing how than not wanting it?

Certainly, the epidemic captured in words like "I don't have time" plays a major role in opposition to 'changing for the better'.

 

Tags:

Change: Creating Positive Change | I'm too busy! - I don't have time! | Thought Tweets

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