People, process, product. All three work together to run an organization. The responsibility of the leader is to carry a vision that oversees each area. This is a massive job. To do this, you as a leader have to be People Driven, Process Minded, and Product Focused. For now, let’s focus on the Process Minded Leader.
Being a process minded leader does not mean you have to be in all the day to day details. As women and/or moms that’s pretty much second nature, but, you don’t have time for that in the work place. This is of course, if you have hired and established competent and strong team members. Being process minded does mean that you know your numbers, projections, and means of moving from point A to point B.
With each area (people, process, and product) there is always room for growth within an organization and within you as a leader. Here are some tips that I’ve gathered from research, mentors, and especially experience to put out as food for “growth thought.”
Release your inner Oprah and ask out loud what you’re thinking. Get to the bottom of the thought you have or the detail you notice. If you don’t understand something, be vulnerable and ask for help. Clarification is best done under the guise of questions. Bring kindness and sincerity with each question, but ask away.
Let no detail go unnoticed. Acknowledging the work your team has put into a process, or even the lack of detail can help in steering the process in the right direction. Asking questions and analyzing details go hand in hand. You don’t have to be detail oriented to understand an efficient process. Just know what’s in the process in order to know what to change.
Do the same questions keep popping up in your head? Do the same team members keep bringing the same results? When you see these patterns, don’t disregard them. There is meaning behind them. Patterns can lead you to excellence, or can lead you to the point of failure. Acknowledge them and respond to them.
What does your gut say? That first thought or first impression you get can mean a lot when it comes to leading change. Don’t sit on your intuition in the name of “not wanting to hurt someone’s feelings.” Or the name of “giving it time.” If it AIN’T right, then don’t let it sit. Confront it.
Have you noticed that when someone brings you a problem, the answer is easy? However, what is so odd is that no one else saw the answer. You are gifted with this ability and being quick to solve the problem helps you to manage time and see the details in people. Make sure to stay attentive and not move too quickly that you miss details. Sometimes a quick decision can neglect details, so make it efficient.
What’s working, what’s not. Pay attention to the processes of the daily grind and the long-term. Make notes of each aspect that points to the overall goal. Those that do not, adjust or remove. Sometimes the only way to see the difference in decision making for a change is to write it out. Take the time to review this list with a mentor or your team. Another set of “eyes” on your thoughts can help you be more specific in the process you are trying to build.
Hold on because this is where the real work begins. Every step before this one is critical to getting the new process right, but this is the work that requires your focus and intelligence. In order to lay out a new plan, it’s important to have a mentor and a strong team with you. Depending on the size of your business or organization you need multiple check points to make sure that each step in a process is realistic and always points back to the end goal…to your WHY.
Recognizing a process, analyzing a process, and creating a process all go hand in hand. As a woman in leadership we have the upper hand in the game of “change” because we are attentive and have the natural ability to listen. Setting aside your own agenda and slowing down is the key to following these seven steps. Stay focused. You are steps away from building that process that can change the face of your business.
