Did you know that for every system you set up there are 3 separate and distinct phases? And that any one, if skipped, can make it seem like your system isn’t working when, in reality, it never had the chance?
Any system you develop in your business, and I do mean any, must go through all of these phases to ensure they are set up to support you to the fullest and make sure they will operate as expected.
Skip any one of them and you are likely to end up like so many businesses before you, frustrated and convinced tech doesn’t work, systems are broken, and you will forever be forced to work 16 hour days if you are to make the income you’ve been striving for.
Wouldn’t it be great if you had a cheat sheet, so to speak, that would help you ensure the systems you set up work as expected?
A step by step plan to make sure you don’t miss anything and you can feel good about the success of your systems and, ultimately, you?
We’ve got you covered. Here is the first of three phases every system must go through as they are being set up. These are non-negotiables if you are looking for success with systems.
"A good strategy is like a road map: it shows the final destination and usually the best way to get there."
Strategy
This is the step most often skipped. It’s also the step most often at fault for failed systems and outcomes that don’t match up with what you imagined.
During the strategy phase, otherwise known as the planning stage, you will do a lot of thinking and talking, and not as much doing. But don’t worry, this is critical and shouldn’t take too long.
Ironically it will save you time in the long run if you take the time now to fully think this through.
Ok, so what’s involved in this strategy phase? There are 4 key pieces that must be tackled now, before anyone starts doing anything.
According to a survey conducted by the Harvard Business Review, companies that focus on strategic planning experience a 12% increase in revenue compared to those who do not. (Source: Harvard Business Review)
Outcome Design
First, it’s time to design your outcome. What do we mean by that? We mean getting very, very clear on what you are designing this system for. This includes the why and the what.
Why are you setting up this system? What are you trying to get it to do? Is it to create more time freedom for you as the business owner? To reduce manual tasks your team does? To minimize friction and human error in running your business? To improve your client experience? Something else?
The why and the what of outcome design can be anything and are crucial to understanding what systems you are setting up or asking your team to set up.
Without the clarity provided by this step your team will most certainly miss the mark in getting you what you want.
A survey conducted by the Economist Intelligence Unit found that 72% of respondents agreed that strategic planning is important for long-term success, while 30% said that lack of strategic vision is a barrier to success. (Source: Economist Intelligence Unit)
High Level Planning
This is where you really get to shine. It’s your turn to figure out which steps need to happen and when in the process they will happen.
You can storyboard your system, if you’d like, so you can visualize what happens at what stages, what triggers different actions,and at what points decisions will need to be made.
This is when you get to use all your “what if” powers that can feel so challenging at times. Now is the time to ask those questions and consider the answers.
Whether it is an internal system that simply automates a tedious manual process you do, something designed to free up your team’s time or a client facing process, your powers of “What if” are never more valuable than now.
Too often we get in a hurry to set up a new system, direct our team to build it, and then discover a potential issue or route you hadn’t considered.
Take the time here to sit down with a piece of paper and map out what you would like to see, with all the possibilities. This will arm you to have a much more productive meeting with your team and set clear expectations as you get ready for step 3.
A study conducted by the Project Management Institute found that companies that prioritize strategic planning have a 40% higher project success rate compared to those that do not. (Source: Project Management Institute)
Tactic Development
Now is the time to get into the details. The HOW of setting up the systems. You aren’t actually building it yet. You are making detailed tactical decisions about the how of your system.
It’s time to meet with your team, if you have one, or put on your integrator hat and map out the specifics of how you will execute what you have designed.
Share the outcome with your team. Let them in on what you’ve been doing. Invite them to get a real look at what you want to build and why. Then ask them what holes they see. What they think you need to get this done.
We aren’t looking for the nitty gritty details of execution. We are looking for resources that they identify as being missing.
What specific steps need to happen? What outcomes need to be met at each step of the system? How will you make sure that your system achieves the outcome you have lined out?
What resources do you need that you may not have right now? Do you need a different kind of technology? A contractor or maybe new employee to handle the execution of this? Is this system large enough that it’s time to consider a project manager?
What do you need to do to make this system a reality? This is a great time to document things from your perspective.
"Risk more than others think is safe. Dream more than others think is practical."
Timeline
Finally it’s time to consider your timeline. Again, not too into the details of execution. This is more about what actions/decisions are dependent on this system being in place. What other systems will you be able to include once this is set up and working?
What goals will this allow you to hit, and how does it impact the deadlines for those goals? Is there anything going on in the business that dictates when this needs to go live? Or when your team can start on it?
How does the set up and execution of this system impact the overall direction of the business? How does this all fit into the bigger picture? Does this new system fit into any of your quarterly or monthly goals?
"Without strategy, execution is aimless. Without execution, strategy is useless."
Knowing what you expect, and why, will help your team to understand your expectations. It is very easy to put our team members into a silo where they only know about the systems that directly affect them and they don’t have any context for anything else.
Many people will tell you the team doesn’t need context. They simply need to execute on the plan. And that may be true.
But that really comes down to what kind of team members do you want on your team? Do you want people who think and can contribute or do you just want people who will do tasks and check them off when done?
Either way, knowing the why behind the deadline will certainly help them to prioritize their work throughout the day.
As you get ready to set up new systems it’s important to go through all the phases to ensure you are ready to go. Skipping any one of these can tank your entire process and slow down all the progress you are working for.
Even though it can seem like taking the time to go through these steps is slowing down the process, often at a time when urgency is top of mind, I promise you….the return on your investment of time will be exponential.
