{"id":7919,"date":"2014-07-24T07:11:18","date_gmt":"2014-07-24T07:11:18","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.123print.com\/blog\/?p=7919"},"modified":"2015-07-20T20:27:33","modified_gmt":"2015-07-20T20:27:33","slug":"evaluating-your-processes-without-making-people-mad","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/blog.123print.com\/blog\/evaluating-your-processes-without-making-people-mad\/","title":{"rendered":"Evaluating Your Processes (Without Making People Mad)"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"Evaluating<\/a>Every company has processes, right?<\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n

We\u2019d like to assume that, but you would be surprised at the number of employees in the company that really know how or why they were put in place.<\/p>\n

Usually you find out about processes when you find yourself starting a new role, either within your existing company or somewhere new. You are excited to be able to \u201cmake a difference\u201d and \u201cchange the world,\u201d and you ask the simple question, \u201cwhy do we do \u2018this\u2019 like that?\u201d That\u2019s when you hear this familiar phrase: \u201cbecause we\u2019ve always done it that way.\u201d<\/p>\n

Hmm \u2026 sounds like an opportunity is knocking here. But, your approach to how you make changes, can greatly affect the outcome. We\u2019ve all done it slightly differently, but there are definitely ways to make business process changes more successful.<\/p>\n

Following are 5 easy tips that I have found to successfully evaluate your processes:<\/strong><\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

1. DON\u2019T CHANGE IT JUST BECAUSE YOU CAN<\/span><\/p>\n

Some folks take it as a personal challenge to make immediate change just because they have the authority to do so. They treat it as a \u201crung\u201d up on the success ladder. Change without knowledge can create animosity on your team from the very beginning and can be hard to overcome. Take a deep breath, make your list and then start investigating.<\/p>\n

2. NARROW THE FOCUS<\/span><\/p>\n

Whether you gather the team together or meet with your team individually, try to focus on one or two business processes at a time. You can keep the list going, and share it with the team for future meetings, but your time will be more productive if everyone is thinking about the same topic during each meeting.<\/p>\n

3. GATHER FEEDBACK<\/span><\/p>\n

Really take the time to listen to the employees involved in the process. Don\u2019t be afraid to ask questions, but try to refrain from trying to \u201csolve the problem\u201d at the same meeting. People will respect your decisions if they feel that they can be heard and contribute to the solution.<\/p>\n

4. DOCUMENT THE STEPS<\/span><\/p>\n

This can be the most agonizing part of the process. Why? Because most processes are ingrained in people\u2019s heads and not documented on paper. They just \u201cdid it that way\u201d and no one ever questioned it or asked them to write it down. Once you have it in writing, share it with the team and review each step.<\/p>\n

Ask the following questions:<\/p>\n