The Process Ninja

Process Tips - How to get back into the flow quickly

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Stabilo Boss - provides the kind of colour only otherwise seen after eating asparagus...

 

This has to be my simplest but most effective tip ever. When you are working on something e.g. a process map or a document, invariably you will ask others to review it. When you conduct your reviews (or receive the hand scribbled versions) you need to update the soft copies. As you are updating the soft copies, simply highlight the changes that you have finished updating on the piece of paper. Why? If you are interrupted or choose to work on something else you will look at the piece of paper and will know instantly where to start off again. You also won’t miss updating anything – if it isn’t highlighted it isn’t done. So simple – so try it.

 

Lean Process Improvement Explained

I liked this article from Lean Insider...I like stuff like this that practically demonstrates process improvement. There are too many people out there writing dull theories so it's nice to see a very simple example like this that so clearly demonstrates lean. Nice.

Process Tip - Focus on what's important, not on quantity

Fred's watch was a marvel - it told him exactly when he needed to get things done...

 

If you are the kind of person that has 62 meetings a day and can’t say a complete sentence because you don’t have enough time to inhale you need to stop - right now. You may not realise it but being mega busy isn’t cool. All it means is that you spread yourself so thinly that you can’t deliver quality work. It also makes people uncomfortable as they feel that they cannot talk to you properly as they are interrupting your busy schedule. It takes time to build rapport with people, and they will not open up to you unless you make the time to build that rapport. So while you might think you are achieving more by running around like a headless chicken, you are only

achieving at a highly superficial level. You need to give up your time, take a deep breath and slow down. True achievement will come only from the epiphanies that strong relationships can bring; and those relationships take time.

 

Process Tip - How to succeed in the corporate world

 

Be like the professionals, just don't shoot anyone, OK?

What a blatantly obvious tip, right? It’s so simple to create a good impression by being professional – but even in today’s organisation there are so many people that can’t get this basic premise right. Here’s how you do it:

• Turn up on time – meetings, calls, coffee – whatever it is - make sure that you  aren’t just on time, but that you are EARLY

• Look the part (see episode 15)

• Do as you’re told

• Don’t complain – by all means do something about it (but no-one likes a whinger)

• Respond politely to EVERY call, message, e-mail, etc. where you have been asked to do something

• Don’t ever shout, scream or abuse anyone - ever

• Thank everyone who helps you

• Thank people who don’t help you even more

• Do every task or job to the absolute best of your ability (no matter how crappy you think it is) – you will soon rise above the mediocrity, or even better…

• Do more than you’re asked. You will be much loved.

Process Tip - Don't let your appearance destroy your career

 

Bugs - belongs in a stew...not on your tie...

 

It’s a sad but painfully true fact that we judge people even before they have spoken a word. You can either accept this fact and make an effort to look professional or you can work as a pony tailed programmer or a mousey librarian all your life – your choice. I would suggest that if you want to get anywhere in the corporate world you’re going to have to look the part.

Chaps:

Get yourself some nice trousers, a quality shirt, buy a good watch, re-sole your shoes, get a haircut that costs more than $8, shave as often as you can bear, remove all piercings, make sure you ALWAYS smell nice, and last but not least, if you have to wear a tie, never, ever, wear anything with cartoon characters on it…it’s professional suicide.

Chapesses:

Get yourself some a nice skirt, a nice top that doesn’t display your cleavage to too much of the world (cleavage is a power that should be used responsibly) don’t wear too much jewellery (less is more) invest in a pair of nice tights, DO buy expensive shoes rather than ones your mum would wear, wear makeup, comb / wash your hair as often as you can bear, don’t wear piercings anywhere but your ears, make sure you ALWAYS smell nice and unless you want to be the talk of the office don’t wear that outfit that you loved in 1985…it’s professional suicide.

Process Tip - Facilitate workshops your own way

 

Frank - he did it his way...and so will you...

 

When you are holding a meeting, conducting an interview, holding a workshop, remember that it is YOUR DECISION on how you want it to be run. If you have called it and organised it, you are in charge. Don’t let anyone tell you how to run it or put down your ideas. Stand firm and say “no, this is the way we are going to do it because I’ve found this method successful in the past”.

Process Tip - Stop using Jargon and improve your communications

 

Digging facilitation tool?

 

Or in other words, stop talking Bizspeak because you sound like a d*ckhead. We have this wonderful thing – it’s called the English language and it was invented so that we can communicate with each other – simply and effectively. However some people don’t seem content with this and like to make up their own language where everything is more complicated than it needs to be. It’s a world full of words like “granularity” and puke inducing expressions like “let’s take that offline” and (my favourite) “value proposition”. If it’s a spade, call it a spade. It’s not a digging facilitation tool. In a world full of complexity the last thing we need to make more challenging is our ability to talk to each other.

Process Tip - the truth about processes

 

Sammy the snail didn't care that he wasn't complicated...

 

When it comes to process everyone thinks they have the insiders scoop on “how things really work”. Well, they don’t and no-one does. So even though Mr super important make take you aside and whisper his insider knowledge in your ear, he won’t be completely right. Because process is all about people being different parts of a jigsaw, and no matter how much you know about the shape of your own jigsaw piece, you can’t possibly know the shape of every single piece (especially when it’s a big jigsaw). So don’t take anyone’s word for how a process operates. Look at every piece and decide for yourself how it all fits together.

Process Tip - When & how to disagree

 

Don’t be afraid to say you don’t agree. It’s too easy to give in to the loudest person in the room. But beware – for the biggest voice in the room may be the biggest idiot. It’s your job to stand up and be counted – give your opinion and to be forthright and honest if you don’t agree. I bet there’s one other person in the room thinking the same thing as you are. By speaking up you demonstrate your ability to think, and to lead.

Process Tip - How to spot useless staff

Muffin or Nuffin...can you tell???

You buy what looks like a delicious fruit stuffed muffin but find that inside it is all cake and no fruit. It looks good but delivers nothing. It’s not a muffin, it’s a nuffin. People can be Nuffins too. They usually ponce around pretending to be busy and saying things like “oh my god, I’m so busy, I worked until…blah de blah last night” and you think “on what exactly?” They are usually masters of this activity and as such they appear on the outside to be busy, productive employees of the organisation. But they’re not. As a Process Ninja it is your duty to improve the efficiency and productivity of the organisation by hunting down and ridding the world of nuffins. You’ll be doing everyone a favour.