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Casual Articles - Lack of Operations Manuals Stunting Your Growth?
This week I was asked to speak at an internal conference for a bank. The subject was how to build a great customer experience. However, the reality was somewhat different to the title. I sat listening to speaker after speaker - all coming along with the same message “how can we stuff more products into our clients and achieve our targets”.As I sat there I started to think, why do people say one thing and do another? Do they really think people are that stupid that they cannot see the conflict between the words and the actions? So, as the speakers droned on and on about product X and revenue Y, I thought “what are the tell tale signs that show if your company is really customer focussed?”. I took the opportunity to make some notes…….When I visit companie
Develop your Operations Manuals in a standard format containing at least the following information for each position.
ACCOUNTABILITY - Specify the position's accountabilities.
STANDARDS - Specify the standards for the position. Include the policies that define / limit the position's authority and the position holder's general conduct.
WORK INSTRUCTIONS - Specify how the position's work will be performed.
GENERAL INFORMATION - Provide information about your organization, your products and services, your competition, etc. Include other material that enriches the position holder's understanding of the working environment.
INTERFACE - Describe how the position interfaces with:
- Its superior position.
- Its subordinate positions.
- Peer position(s) with frequent contact.
<
12 Things Nursing Taught Me About Owning a BusinessLack of Operations Manuals stunting your growth?
Have you ever wondered whether you're cut out to be an entrepreneur? Nurses sometimes tell me they aren't sure if their nursing career has prepared them to start and succeed in their own legal nurse consultant practice. Yet even the most routine nursing job is full of life lessons that apply to the business world.My first job as an intensive care nurse in a major medical center prepared me for business success. Subsequent jobs reinforced those early messages. I invite you to look closely at your own nursing career and discover the lessons that will help you succeed as a legal nurse consultant.Success Lesson 1 — Find Your Passion and Turn It into a BusinessAs much as I loved my work with critically ill patients and their families, my inner vCONTENTS:
1. Do you lack functional Operations Manuals?
2. Use a SYSTEM to write your Operations Manuals!
3. Yes, but my people just don't/won't write stuff down!
4. But people WILL write stuff down - if ...
5. Call to Action.1. Do you lack functional Operations Manuals?
Great businesses depend on systems, not people.
That's because you can duplicate systems, but not people.
If your business can't duplicate salable results, it won't survive. Duplication is Nature's Survival Law.
If your organization lacks Operations Manuals, your growth and success will be limited due to lack of a duplicable (documented) system.
2. You can use a SYSTEM to write your Operations Manuals!
Extraordinary people don't build great businesses. Ordinary people produce extraordinary results using a duplicable system. That's how you build a great business.
The faster you develop good Operations Manuals the faster you will have a great business!
3. Yes, but my people just don't/won't write stuff down!
You will hear many excuses and attitudes for why people don't write Operations Manuals.
"We just don't have enough time."
"It's not my job man! You hired me to be a [manager, programmer, accountant, engineer, whatever]. I'm not a writer!"
"I hate to write. Who needs it!"
"Whenever I feel like writing, I lie down until the feeling goes away."
"It's different here. Things change too fast. The minute we write something down, it's obsolete..."
These are typical objections people express. But, one of the most UNexpressed fears is:
"If I document my job in an Operations Manual, I can be replaced! I'll lose my job!"
No wonder so few organizations have Operations Manuals!
4. But people WILL write stuff down - if ... and only if they can realize a benefit!
Let's face it. You can grow your organization ONLY if you can promote and/or replace your employees. Thus, you and your team can MOVE UP only if you can replace yourselves.
And you can do this by documenting your positions in well-organized Operations Manuals.
"Mike! Are you saying that by writing stuff down in Operations Manuals we'll receive more raises, promotions, and vacations."
Absolutely!
These goodies are not available without your company's growth and prosperity!
Did you know most business start-ups fail while most franchises succeed. Successful franchises use a documented management system ... in short ... Operations Manuals!
"But Mike, our company is not a 'franchise!'"
Neither is mine.
But SMS has a documented management system, including about 13,000 pages of Operations Manuals.
When anyone or I want to know how to do something, all we need do is pull a manual off the shelf. What could be easier? There's near zero "tribal knowledge" here.
We can relocate on a moment's notice with minimum hassle.
I know of many companies that wanted to move from California.
Suddenly, they were faced with hiring many new, inexperienced employees in another state.
Suddenly, they were faced with writing (insufficient) Operations Manuals literally as-they-packed!
Believe me, displaced employees were less than cooperative! And those who moved with the company inherited enormous problems due to poor - or no - documentation.
So, here's my advice. Start now!
Develop a set of Operations Manuals where you collect information that governs how your company's positions function.
At SMS, we have at least one 3-ring binder for every position on our Org Chart.
Develop your Operations Manuals in a standard format containing at least the following information for each position.
ACCOUNTABILITY - Specify the position's accountabilities.
STANDARDS - Specify the standards for the position. Include the policies that define / limit the position's authority and the position holder's general conduct.
WORK INSTRUCTIONS - Specify how the position's work will be performed.
GENERAL INFORMATION - Provide information about your organization, your products and services, your competition, etc. Include other material that enriches the position holder's understanding of the working environment.
INTERFACE - Describe how the position interfaces with:
- Its superior position.
- Its subordinate positions.
- Peer position(s) with frequent contact.
Become the Manager Who is a Failure at Managing MeetingsMeetings have become an inevitable part of doing business for almost every department owner. There are meetings with clients, meetings with employees and meetings with peers or associates. Almost everyone has suffered through too many meetings that take up too much time and accomplish too little. In fact, you may find that you yourself have now become numb to the fact that your meetings aren’t as good as they could be. And everywhere you look, it seems as if somebody has another idea about how to fix your meetings, and make them more focused, more productive, and – dare I say it? More fun! So what can you do about it? Relax and keep reading, because you’re about to find the informa
The faster you develop good Operations Manuals the faster you will have a great business!
3. Yes, but my people just don't/won't write stuff down!
You will hear many excuses and attitudes for why people don't write Operations Manuals.
"We just don't have enough time."
"It's not my job man! You hired me to be a [manager, programmer, accountant, engineer, whatever]. I'm not a writer!"
"I hate to write. Who needs it!"
"Whenever I feel like writing, I lie down until the feeling goes away."
"It's different here. Things change too fast. The minute we write something down, it's obsolete..."
These are typical objections people express. But, one of the most UNexpressed fears is:
"If I document my job in an Operations Manual, I can be replaced! I'll lose my job!"
No wonder so few organizations have Operations Manuals!
4. But people WILL write stuff down - if ... and only if they can realize a benefit!
Let's face it. You can grow your organization ONLY if you can promote and/or replace your employees. Thus, you and your team can MOVE UP only if you can replace yourselves.
And you can do this by documenting your positions in well-organized Operations Manuals.
"Mike! Are you saying that by writing stuff down in Operations Manuals we'll receive more raises, promotions, and vacations."
Absolutely!
These goodies are not available without your company's growth and prosperity!
Did you know most business start-ups fail while most franchises succeed. Successful franchises use a documented management system ... in short ... Operations Manuals!
"But Mike, our company is not a 'franchise!'"
Neither is mine.
But SMS has a documented management system, including about 13,000 pages of Operations Manuals.
When anyone or I want to know how to do something, all we need do is pull a manual off the shelf. What could be easier? There's near zero "tribal knowledge" here.
We can relocate on a moment's notice with minimum hassle.
I know of many companies that wanted to move from California.
Suddenly, they were faced with hiring many new, inexperienced employees in another state.
Suddenly, they were faced with writing (insufficient) Operations Manuals literally as-they-packed!
Believe me, displaced employees were less than cooperative! And those who moved with the company inherited enormous problems due to poor - or no - documentation.
So, here's my advice. Start now!
Develop a set of Operations Manuals where you collect information that governs how your company's positions function.
At SMS, we have at least one 3-ring binder for every position on our Org Chart.
Develop your Operations Manuals in a standard format containing at least the following information for each position.
ACCOUNTABILITY - Specify the position's accountabilities.
STANDARDS - Specify the standards for the position. Include the policies that define / limit the position's authority and the position holder's general conduct.
WORK INSTRUCTIONS - Specify how the position's work will be performed.
GENERAL INFORMATION - Provide information about your organization, your products and services, your competition, etc. Include other material that enriches the position holder's understanding of the working environment.
INTERFACE - Describe how the position interfaces with:
- Its superior position.
- Its subordinate positions.
- Peer position(s) with frequent contact.
<
Best Ways for a Stay at Home Mother to Enter the Workforceave Operations Manuals!
Priorities, planning, efforts in the right direction and persistence are the key to not only getting your foot through the door, but also helps you in rising to great heights throughout your career. Finding the most suitable career direction must be given preference and most of your planning time in the earlier stages of job search, it is essential that you spend more time to investigate and arrive at your ideal career first and then narrow down your job search. You will find that such effective planning will help you during the job search and later on in maintaining a healthy life-work balance.Internet Resources as Motivation to Re-entrants The career articles online and the other resources such as the Working Mother magazine are a great reso4. But people WILL write stuff down - if ... and only if they can realize a benefit!
Let's face it. You can grow your organization ONLY if you can promote and/or replace your employees. Thus, you and your team can MOVE UP only if you can replace yourselves.
And you can do this by documenting your positions in well-organized Operations Manuals.
"Mike! Are you saying that by writing stuff down in Operations Manuals we'll receive more raises, promotions, and vacations."
Absolutely!
These goodies are not available without your company's growth and prosperity!
Did you know most business start-ups fail while most franchises succeed. Successful franchises use a documented management system ... in short ... Operations Manuals!
"But Mike, our company is not a 'franchise!'"
Neither is mine.
But SMS has a documented management system, including about 13,000 pages of Operations Manuals.
When anyone or I want to know how to do something, all we need do is pull a manual off the shelf. What could be easier? There's near zero "tribal knowledge" here.
We can relocate on a moment's notice with minimum hassle.
I know of many companies that wanted to move from California.
Suddenly, they were faced with hiring many new, inexperienced employees in another state.
Suddenly, they were faced with writing (insufficient) Operations Manuals literally as-they-packed!
Believe me, displaced employees were less than cooperative! And those who moved with the company inherited enormous problems due to poor - or no - documentation.
So, here's my advice. Start now!
Develop a set of Operations Manuals where you collect information that governs how your company's positions function.
At SMS, we have at least one 3-ring binder for every position on our Org Chart.
Develop your Operations Manuals in a standard format containing at least the following information for each position.
ACCOUNTABILITY - Specify the position's accountabilities.
STANDARDS - Specify the standards for the position. Include the policies that define / limit the position's authority and the position holder's general conduct.
WORK INSTRUCTIONS - Specify how the position's work will be performed.
GENERAL INFORMATION - Provide information about your organization, your products and services, your competition, etc. Include other material that enriches the position holder's understanding of the working environment.
INTERFACE - Describe how the position interfaces with:
- Its superior position.
- Its subordinate positions.
- Peer position(s) with frequent contact.
<
Real Estate Marketing Mistakes and How to Avoid Themem, including about 13,000 pages of Operations Manuals.
The fundamentals of real estate marketing Before we go into the best practices of a personal marketing program, it would be a good idea to touch on the key elements that make up such a program. Call it "Personal Marketing in a Nutshell."Marketing is more than just blasting the neighborhoods with your farming pieces. It's about how you present yourself (and how your company presents itself) to prospects and customers. Effective personal marketing combines elements of direct marketing, public relations and education. It is the sum of all your informational parts.In this article, we'll be dissecting the direct marketing piece of the pie. Specifically, we will examine personal marketing mistakes and how to avoid them.WWhen anyone or I want to know how to do something, all we need do is pull a manual off the shelf. What could be easier? There's near zero "tribal knowledge" here.
We can relocate on a moment's notice with minimum hassle.
I know of many companies that wanted to move from California.
Suddenly, they were faced with hiring many new, inexperienced employees in another state.
Suddenly, they were faced with writing (insufficient) Operations Manuals literally as-they-packed!
Believe me, displaced employees were less than cooperative! And those who moved with the company inherited enormous problems due to poor - or no - documentation.
So, here's my advice. Start now!
Develop a set of Operations Manuals where you collect information that governs how your company's positions function.
At SMS, we have at least one 3-ring binder for every position on our Org Chart.
Develop your Operations Manuals in a standard format containing at least the following information for each position.
ACCOUNTABILITY - Specify the position's accountabilities.
STANDARDS - Specify the standards for the position. Include the policies that define / limit the position's authority and the position holder's general conduct.
WORK INSTRUCTIONS - Specify how the position's work will be performed.
GENERAL INFORMATION - Provide information about your organization, your products and services, your competition, etc. Include other material that enriches the position holder's understanding of the working environment.
INTERFACE - Describe how the position interfaces with:
- Its superior position.
- Its subordinate positions.
- Peer position(s) with frequent contact.
<
Cadillac Advertising on a Volkswagon Budgetast one 3-ring binder for every position on our Org Chart.
When it comes to being successful on or off the internet, it's all in the Advertising! We've all seen this hold true with so many products. If you can capture a large audience with a simple idea or a New and Improved product, you can amass an enormous response in a very short period of time.The never-ending quest to acquire this exposure on an affordable scale is what we all seek to find. Advertising in itself is a business to be dissected. Where is the best place to advertise, what is the most cost efficient means of advertising, who has the most exposure? All of these questions create a constant struggle for manufacturers of every imaginable product.Cost effective advertising can be like buying watermelon seeds and planting them in Alaska. If you don'Develop your Operations Manuals in a standard format containing at least the following information for each position.
ACCOUNTABILITY - Specify the position's accountabilities.
STANDARDS - Specify the standards for the position. Include the policies that define / limit the position's authority and the position holder's general conduct.
WORK INSTRUCTIONS - Specify how the position's work will be performed.
GENERAL INFORMATION - Provide information about your organization, your products and services, your competition, etc. Include other material that enriches the position holder's understanding of the working environment.
INTERFACE - Describe how the position interfaces with:
- Its superior position.
- Its subordinate positions.
- Peer position(s) with frequent contact.
- Non-peer staff positions with frequent contact.
- The "Outside World" (customers, vendors, etc.).
You can design your manuals to have five sections each as follows.
- POSITION SECTION
- COMPANY/PRODUCTS SECTION
- POLICY SECTION Company-wide policies:
- SYSTEMS SECTION Action plans, sample forms, flowcharts, scripts, collateral materials, etc.
- LOGIC SECTION Explain the principles behind the position's work.
5. Call to Action.
To review, your Operations Manuals are collection points for information that governs functioning of positions on your Org Chart.
I sent you this eZine to give you an outline to ease development of your Operations Manuals.
As you've probably guessed, developing Operations Manuals is a big task. I've done it often for many clients. If I be of assistance, just send me an email.
Together, we can document what you want, how you want it, and when you want it. We will discuss various creative approaches before the project begins.
Mike Hayden
Principal/Consultant
Your partner in streamlining business. For more information,
Email: mailto:info@seniormanagementservices.com
Website: http://www.SeniorManagementServices.com (c) 2003 Mike Hayden, All rights reserved. You may use material from the Profitable Venture Tactics eZine in whole or in part, as long as you include complete attribution, including live website link and email link.HTTP = HTML link (for blogs, profiles,phorums):
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