Framing yourself as a process expert for your organization is just about the most boring job description you can think of, huh? After all, you love your job title of Senior This or That, EVP of Whatever and Director of Everything.
Titles are one thing. Knowledge and competence of the internal processes which combine to exercise strategy are quite another, aren’t they? Think about it.
A process expert, in any area, is clear, capable, consistent and comprehensive.
- If you are a process expert, you have a clear understanding of all the steps involved in taking a project from Point A to Point Z.
- In addition, as a leader or manager, you also have the expertise and capability to jump in at any point along A to Z and carry that project to full execution. Why? Because you have a clear understanding of all the steps involved.
- Also, you consistently and productively perform all of the process steps, when leading, managing and executing a project from Point A to Point Z. In other words, you don’t take short cuts or leave out any of the steps because you are bored, not in the mood or distracted. Omitting one step or another is not a viable option, ever.
- Then, you are comprehensive: you have the vision of seeing Point Z as you commence Point A. Not only that: you have a clear understanding of how each step intersects with the input-throughput-output from other process experts throughout your organization.
Process experts are curious, engaged and continuous learners.
A process spectator, unlike the process expert, is unengaged.
Process spectators are myopic and tactical, rather than strategic and visionary. Yes, they see The Start of the project, the sale, the recipe, the event. Then, the next step on their process map is The End. What happens in-between is anyone’s guess, including theirs.
Yes, they do have process and project muscle-memory, built up from executing similar projects over time. However, if you ask them to process map their typical approach, the map always is incomplete and inconsistent. Even if you ask them to complete the exercise again, the next day, the results still look completely different from the day before.
Inconsistency is the hallmark for process spectators. They are like front seat passengers on a long, automobile road trip. For starters, they only are along for the ride. As a result, they are unable tell you trip details or the overall roadmap used which assured you – and they – arrived at your destination, safely, productively and profitably.
Process spectators overlook the details. Consistently. Why? Because they function best in order-taking mode, when Someone Else assumes responsibility and accountability.
Well, are you a process expert or a process spectator?
Regardless of the size of your organization, do you lead, manage and work from the perspective of an expert or a spectator? Do you have an hourly workday mindset? Alternatively, do you connect the start of each day to the beginning of the next day, and then the next?
The goal, as a Businessperson of Worth, is to lead, manage and perform as a process expert. Why? Because clients expect any vendor’s, supplier’s and consultant’s products and services to become better and better, over time. Consistently, expertly and remarkably meeting client expectations becomes the motivating factor for workforce engagement and leadership.
Ultimately, gaining process expertise fuels customer success and, subsequently, compels clients to continue doing business with you. Otherwise, competitors will be more than happy to engage their process experts in meeting client expectations.
How might you retool and recalibrate your own core competencies to become a process expert? What would you do to create a workforce hiring strategy focused on process expertise and workforce engagement?
Babette Ten Haken serves organizations as a corporate catalyst and innovative speaker, strategist, coach and storyteller. Babette’s One Millimeter Mindset™ Workshops and Speaking programs leverage collaboration to catalyze professional innovation, workforce engagement and customer retention, especially in challenging Industrial Internet of Things environments. . Babette’s playbook of IIoT team collaboration hacks, Do YOU Mean Business? is available on Amazon. She is a member of the National Speakers Association.
Image source: Adobe Stock
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