In case you haven’t heard – in French Guyana a glider took off with an unexpected guest onboard – a cat.
Not just any cat – but the pet cat of the company who owns and operates said glider – yeah, their cat.
The pilot said “I still don’t know if it got on after the pre flight check or if I missed it.”
Well – based on that statement I feel confident this (or other issues) won’t happen again. (Can you sense my sarcasm?)
In case you’re wondering – the cat is fine. And still the mascot of the company who operates the glider. However – as an animal lover, I’m a little less forgiving than the cat.
Processes need to be put in place for a reason. They’re there to make sure things happen in a safe and efficient manner and prevent things from happening…like a cat getting onto a glider before take off! Without clearly defined and efficient processes – and without people who are trained on how to follow those processes – outcomes may not be as successful as you had hoped. Just ask the cat…
Ok sure – a cat on a glider is not likely to happen to your team at work. But something outrageously similar could. For your processes to really support your goals and objectives they need to be aligned with:
Strategic Plan
Processes need to be tied to strategy. Processes support strategic execution. You must have a plan that determines the who, what, where, when and why – and processes that will help you execute against that plan. Often organizations are not certain where to start, where to place focus, and what to include when conducting strategic planning. The strategic plan needs to ask and answer specific questions that address core areas required for successful execution. Successful organizations prepare and plan for long-term change, even as they operate in the present.
Change Management
Organizational problems are linked together, and change in one area often impacts other areas. New business initiatives, new technology, and even new procedures all require new behaviors and ways of doing things. Processes are required to support these. To make sure your organization remains agile and responsive your processes need to remain as flexible as possible. They need to support possible rapid organizational change. Organizational change is inevitable, but that doesn’t mean it has to be painful or costly if you manage it properly.
Strategic Communications
Now you know where you’re going and how you’re going to get there – now it’s time to communicate that to the entire team. This is often the most overlooked step. How well your organization is positioned to implement strategic and organizational change is just as critical as having a solid actionable strategy in the first place. Your communications processes must be clearly aligned to the strategy and support the outcomes. For strategy and change to gain commitment, frequent communication is required. It takes more than a clear strategy to achieve desired outcomes – it takes timely and targeted communication – and defined and aligned processes.
Once you’ve created your strategy, developed the plan to support people in execution and defined how and when to communicate – don’t forget to review and adjust the processes from time-to-time to ensure they still work.
Like revisiting your take off processes to add a step for “search aircraft for animals prior to take off.” I’m sure the cat would thank you.
About Scott Span, MSOD: is CEO & Lead Consultant of Tolero Solutions – an Organizational Improvement & Strategy firm. He helps clients in achieving success through people, creating organizations that are more responsive, productive and profitable. Organizations where people enjoy working and customers enjoy doing business.
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