Stephanie got quiet. “I coach. That’s what I do. But, how do I do what I do?”
“That’s a recursive question,” I said.
“I mean, I think I coach. But, it’s intuitive. I don’t know if I know how to coach. Maybe it’s something I do, but is there a method?”
“Just ask these five questions.”
From the Ask Tom mailbag:
Question:
What’s the difference between a process and a system?
Response:
A process is the way we get something done. A process is a shift from the haphazard, often the backbone of a discipline or a set of instructions. A process can take the form of a checklist, often has an order or sequence to its steps, like do this first, then do that.
A system is more robust than a process. A system has a defined start and a finish. A system also has a series of steps, but there are different relationships between the steps. In a system, some steps can be done at the same time (concurrent steps). Some steps depend on other steps to be completed first, before the current step can begin (dependent steps). Some steps run at different speeds and can bottleneck other steps (constraints). Some steps may only be required under specific conditions (conditional steps). Some steps may loop back to previous steps and repeat (iterative steps). A system looks at specific conditions, finds the similarities and, by treating them the same, produces a consistent outcome. A system looks at specific conditions, finds the differences and, by treating them differently accommodates a range of variables.
Looking at levels of work, a process may more accurately be used at S-II, while a system is more likely required at S-III.
The roles and levels of work that you need in your company depend on your business model sitting on your business platform.
Yesterday, we looked at a product or service platform. When it’s all about the product, how many roles and how many people do you need? For Bob’s Burgers, all you need is Bob. Can you make money on this platform? Yes. Just not very much. The product or service platform will always struggle with revenue.
In fact, as a competitor, how can you beat Bob? Assuming Bob has the best burger going, how do you beat Bob? You get more trucks than Bob. Actually, Bob read my column before today, he is already going there. In this video, Bob moves from a product platform to a process platform. It is no longer about the burger, now, it’s all about the number of trucks. More trucks, more revenue. But, the video also shows more trucks, more overheard. Where the product platform struggles with revenue, the process platform struggles with profitability.
Bob’s Trucks
Everyone always says, “I want to take my company to the next level.”
Most have no clue. Business platforms help you understand your business model, where it succeeds, its problems and what the next level looks like. (Yes, I have a 3-hour in-person program on business platforms.)
Next, the system platform.
“I feel a bit overwhelmed,” admitted Melissa. “There are so many things that can go wrong on this project, and I’m just not sure if I can manage it all.”
“You are right,” I replied. “You cannot manage every detail. Success consists of the execution of a hundred things, most of which cannot be managed.”
“Then how?”
“Most things we accomplish as managers consist of process and systems with elements that can be measured and managed. But that is only part of the story. Success also requires elements like focused attention, cooperation with team members and commitment to the result. Those are elements, difficult to measure, but more importantly, almost impossible to manage. You cannot manage focus, cooperation and commitment. This is the people side of management, and people don’t want to be managed.”
Melissa was silent, thinking. “The people side is more difficult than the process side, and maybe more important. I think I would take a mediocre process with some fired up people, over a spectacular process with a poor attitude.”
“I have been working on this policy book, documenting our methods and processes so we can use them in our training programs,” Javier explained.
“Outstanding,” I replied. “So what gives?”
“We finished the book three months ago, but I can’t get the team to take it seriously. We have a meeting, everyone agrees and follows the process for the better part of a morning. But, as soon as there is the slightest hiccup, they go back to the old way and trash talk the policy book. Then I have another meeting where I sound like the critical parent.”
“Maybe you are the critical parent,” I nodded.
“Maybe so, but someone has to be the adult in the room,” Javier pushed back.
“Says who?” I asked.
“Well, I’m the manager, so I guess – says me.”
“You just told me the team doesn’t listen to you.”
“They don’t!” Javier pushed back.
“So, when the team abandons the policy book and goes back to their own experience, who do they rely on for guidance?”
“Well, they are hiding from me, so, they rely on each other and their own judgement.”
“Tell me, Javier, who wrote the policy book?”
“I did. I stayed late every night for a month. I am pretty proud of the thinking behind it. Some of my best work.”
“But none of your team’s experience, none of your team’s judgement is in the book. So, where do you think the problem is?” -Tom
“What do you mean, I see things that my team cannot see? If they would just look, they would see it, too,” Max pushed back.
“Max, you are a manager. You are responsible for creating all the systems that people follow. You know more about how things work and how things go wrong. Give me a short list of things you see, that your team doesn’t see,” I asked.
“Short list?
Should I go on?” Max quizzed.
“Why can’t your production people see that?” I prompted.
“I guess they can’t put the dots together. From the time we get that first defective part, to the time the customer complains could be three months time. And when the customer complains, we still have to track down the problem, then reference our production codes to find out when the units were actually produced. It might take another week just to track down the problem. There is too much disconnection for my production team to follow. They just know they get yelled at for skipping a parts-inspection and a pressure test.”
“And, why would they skip a parts-inspection?” I wanted to know.
“Funny, the team was actually proud of their assembled output that week. We were in a bind for a large order. It meant overtime and a team bonus for 50 extra production units that week,” Max lamented.
“So, let me understand. You design all the systems out here, including the bonus system for exceeding production quotas in a shorter period of time? And you wonder why the team skips steps, to get their bonus?”
“If only life and business were that simplistic,” Scott said. “If you work in operations then your job is about commanding and controlling the time, labor and technical resources towards an agreed output. For the jobs in operations, your vision makes sense. But, I think it is only a functional perspective, not a universal one.”
“You seem to think that operations is all about command and control,” I replied. “It sounds a bit mechanical. Tell me more.”
“Operations is operations. Pretty cut and dried. We have defined processes inside efficient systems. Line up the people, line up the machines, line up the materials. Pop, pop, pop. Predictable output. Yes, it is a bit cut and dried.”
“If that is all there is to it, then why don’t we have robots do all our work?” I probed.
“In some cases, we do,” Scott raised his eyebrows in a subtle challenge.
“Yet, even in the midst of defined processes and efficient systems, even in the midst of robotic welding machines, we still have people engaged in operational work. And in that work, as defined as it is, aren’t there still problems that have to be solved and decisions that have to be made?”
“Well, yes,” he nodded.
“So, inside a process you describe as command and control, there is still discretionary decision making?”
Scott continued to nod.
“So, it’s not all neat and pretty,” I said. “Not all tied with a bow. In fact, some days, the work gets downright messy. Even mature processes are subject to variations in material specs, worn machine parts, delays in pace. Command and control short-changes the discretionary judgement required to effectively operate a well-defined system.”
Inspired by a comment posted to Responsibility, Accountability and Authority