August 10, 2018

5 Steps to Create a System – Plus Two Road Tests Every System Must Pass

You know something’s not working, you know there must be an easier way, you know you can get better results or be more efficient . . . it must be time to CREATE A SYSTEM! How do Ops Bosses create systems?

Ops Boss™ Coach Stephanie Bracket shared her 5 Steps To Create A System with me earlier this year. And it’s a game changer! Here are the steps:

1. Purpose – Define what the purpose of the project (or system) is.

For example, you decide you need a system to organize your client events. What is the purpose of the system? And the purpose of the event? The purpose of the system might be so next year we can recreate the event easily and measure results so we can tweak for better results and an easier process. The purpose of the event might be to generate referrals, generate online reviews, increase brand awareness, team camaraderie, or to develop a tribe who feels connected to our team. Which is primary?

2. Outcome Vision – What does it look like when it’s done; how can I say “I won!”

Oftentimes, we just plunge in and start creating a system without figuring out what makes it a win for us in the end. This leads to systems that are good, not great. We create systems that are very “E” and not “P”. Take time here to define the outcome that is a full win.

3. Brainstorm – No bad ideas; quantity vs quality.

This is my favorite (and for me, the most difficult) step. The “ops brain” is often structured. We think linearly and may not be as “outside the box” as a “sales brain”. Sometimes we think of an idea, only to shoot it down because we can’t connect the dots of “how” it would be done. Resist the temptation to eliminate ideas during this phase. ALL ideas go on the table. Ask for input from everyone who will be affected by the project or system. The goal here is quantity, not quality.

4. Organize – Get your ideas into logical order and process.

This is where the “ops brain” goes into high gear. It’s our happy place. (BTW – Trello is a great tool for organizing.) Decide which ideas are great, how you will do them, what happens next and who will do what.

5. Next action – All projects just become a series of next actions that you
constantly move forward.

You can have multiple next actions going on at once, while others are dependent on tasks being done. Just keep moving forward with tasks & deadlines.

NOW, before you take the 5 Steps To Create A System, I’d suggest you keep in mind Two Road Tests Your System Must Pass:

Think about these tests BEFORE you start, AND after you create (before you implement):

1. Is it duplicatable?

Can anyone walk in and follow the system to get the results desired? I have a coaching client in Florida. She calls this the “Jaws Test.” She applies the “Jaws Test” to her systems like this: “What if Jaws ate me today? Could someone else on my team come in tomorrow and follow my system seamlessly? If so – I know it’s duplicatable.”

2. Is it scalable?

What works for a large team will work for a small team. What works for a small team will often crash & burn for a large team. Think with the end in mind.

Does it work for 5 agents? Good.

Does it work for 55 agents? Good.

Does it work for 555 agents? Great. That’s a system that’s scalable.

ET VOILÀ, your system is created and YOU are an Ops Boss™!

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