Systems to set you free

Many business owners I speak with ask me how they can go about systemising their business. They hear and read about how systems are essential in business to help free up their time, but they are not sure where to start. I have put together a few thoughts about beginning to systemise a business that will help clarify this in your mind.

Firstly, what is a ‘system’?

I like to think of a ‘system’ as a repeated course of action and a way of doing things which can bring about a consistent result. A system is not just a list of written steps to be followed in a procedure manual. However, some systems are, and perhaps it is better to think of them as levers that allow your team to achieve their potential, with the minimum of oversight by you. They allow a company to grow and people to grow with it.

Imagine you have a big boulder to move. You can either use lots of people and start pushing (not all in the same direction probably), or you can use a smaller rock and a long lever and prise it out of the way by using just one or two people. The second method is a better ‘system’ because it can easily be repeated the next time a big boulder is encountered and is easier to control.

What are the benefits of having ‘systems’?

• Efficiency • Empowerment of employees to improve their areas of responsibility • Get new staff up to speed quicker • Reduce errors • Lower stress (usually yours) • Provide better customer service • Build company knowledege and retain • Add big value to a business when selling it As you might expect, a lack of, or poorly designed systems will tend to give you the opposite of this list. One of the best ways for people to grow in an organization is for them to be involved with the innovation and improvement of systems they are a part of. A couple of practical suggestions around designing new systems or improving existing ones is to schedule an annual or six-monthly brainstorming session, specifically to focus on finding better ways of doing things. This also provides an opportunity to identify bottlenecks or obsolete practices.

An exercise you can set yourself or your staff right now, is to come up with examples of systems that are not being followed. People are generally quick to make suggestions here, especially if they are personally being affected in a negative way. Have your staff list what the consequences are due to systems not being followed and provide suggestions of how systems could be changed to get better results. Pick one or two of the best suggestions (which will have the biggest impact) and ‘DO IT’. People love to see their ideas being implemented.

What can be “Systemised”?

Pretty much everything in your business can be systemised. You may not choose to go down to the very detailed level of how a job is actually carried out, but most common steps above that point can benefit from some sort of systemisation such as a checklist, video example, flowchart guide or written procedure. Start with the 80:20 rule in mind. What are the 20% of systems that make 80% of impact on the overall company performance? Or, what are the 20% of problems giving you 80% of your headaches? Start there and then chip away at the rest.

For a copy of my guide, The System of Making Systems email me at andy@tradescoach.co.nz and I will send you a copy. Andy Burrows, Director of The Trades Coach and NZCB

National Partner. I encourage you to take advantage of a free business strategy review session to see how we can improve your business performance. Call Andy today on 027 688 6721 or email andy@tradescoach.co.nz.