There is nothing wrong with being a beginner. There is something wrong with being a beginner and not wanting to tell anyone, and acting like you are a master. Even worst, if you think you are a master and tell everyone you are and try to boss people around, when really you are a beginner… Oh sorry about that, a little corporate america frustration showing.

In The Beginning

In the beginning there was an original process (I bet you thought I was going to say light – but that too is a process). The funny thing about an original process is most people don’t know where it came from and why (technically) it was created. I have counseled people on, if they know who created the process you can find out why it was created. There are six things a beginner should know about process improvement.

1. Focus on impact – One of the true signs of a beginner is spend too much time on the execution of the process change (like software installation) rather than the big picture… Why!

2. Make sure it service people – Save yourself from just buying and installing the latest and greatest by making sure your process improvement ultimately helps your people.

3. All should have input, but only a few should have decisions – Keep the decision group as small as you can, but more than one, because you never know where a good idea will come from.

4. Not everything is an improvement – Change for change sake is a terrible things. I see this with people who are new to a company and wanting to make a big and immediate impact. There is nothing wrong with that , but take a warning from point number one and find the why.

5. Experience goes a long way – I know this much seem like a strange bit of advice because it’s for beginners but with process improvement you can draw experience from other aspect of the business.

6. Don’t fear the change – Ultimately process improvement is change. Most people don’t like change until they know what it is for and why it is happening.

Want to know more? Buy My Books!

To buy the book – The Argument to Automate – How Innovation Can INSPIRE Not Fire – click here to buy

(Also) To get your copy of The 8 Pitfalls of Accounts Payable Automation – click here to buy

How about a children’s book? The Princess and the Paper – click here to buy