How to Ensure Standard Operating Procedures Don’t Collect Dust

We have been trying to get others to follow standard operating procedures since the Cavemen painted “Way to Kill Mastodon” on the cave walls!

But, try as we might, people still like to do things “their way”. And why not, most people think their way is best. But it may not be, and it may lead to errors and other problems. So, why aren’t we able to get people to follow standard operating procedures, the way they were meant to be followed?

The reason is that we haven’t really thought through what resources our teams need to properly follow standard operating procedures. This is why Process Improvement Partners LLC has developed The Wheel of Sustainability. With a hub and eight spokes, it all but ensures standard operating procedures will be followed.

Notification
The first and most traditional spoke in The Wheel of Sustainability. People are told there is a procedure and they are expected to follow it.

Training and Review
The second spoke gives people a chance to ask questions about the procedure, gain better understanding of it, and provide their input. If there are any opportunities to improve the procedure, this is a great time to uncover them. Buy-in for the procedure starts here.

Visible Evidence
The third spoke in The Wheel of Sustainability requires us to develop ways to show that the procedure is being followed, without having to interrupt the person doing the work. Is the procedure obvious, and are there visual cues that show things are happening as they should, in the proper sequence?

All Tools Available
The fourth spoke provides the person doing the work everything they need to do the job safely and productively. Are the tools easily accessible and in a logical location, or do they have to search for them? The tools can be physical (hammers, wrenches, screwdrivers, etc.) or virtual (databases, files on the computer, network connections, emails, etc.)

Clear Benefits
The fifth spoke in The Wheel of Sustainability asks if the person following the procedure sees it as being easier, more logical, and/or safer to accomplish. Have they been given a chance to give their input when the procedure was designed? Have they “seen for themselves” that this is a better way than what they did in the past?

Layered Audits
The sixth spoke requires others to engage with people as they follow the procedure, to make sure that they are following it, truly understand it, and can get help if they are unsure of the proper way to follow it. We also want to reinforce how important it is to follow the procedure as written.  Audits should be visible and engaging, not hidden from view or disruptive.  Many levels in the organization should participate at different times, thus the term “layered”.

Accountability
The seventh spoke in The Wheel of Sustainability asks the question, “What do you do if you observe someone who is not following the procedure as written”? This is the time to jump in and help them, not punish them. We need to understand why the person is not following the procedure and correct their behavior or provide more training. We must also hold ourselves accountable to help those who need our help. Do not turn a blind eye to improper work. Reinforce the proper way to follow the procedure.

Recognition
The eighth and final spoke ensures that people see the connection between the new procedure and improved results. We need to help people make that connection, so that it will lock in their commitment to continue following the procedure, even when no one is watching. It also gives credibility to the improvement efforts that generated the new procedure. Celebrate improved performance, when possible.

Leadership Commitment
The Wheel of Sustainability stays together with a strong hub. Leadership Commitment is that strong hub. Leaders must commit to helping, supporting, auditing, and providing everything necessary to make the procedure important and meaningful. Leaders should be visible. They should understand how the procedure impacts overall performance, and they demonstrate they are committed to the new procedure.

In summary, sustainability can be achieved through strong leadership commitment and investment in the eight spokes of The Wheel of Sustainability. Implementing this approach takes significant effort, so pick critical work first, get some practice implementing all eight spokes, and then add next level work. The more practice you get, the easier it becomes. The results will make the effort worthwhile.

It's Better To Be Red Than Green

We have been taught that Red means stop and Green means go. In the context of Process Improvement, Red means that something isn’t performing as expected, and Green means everything is OK. But is it?

Most people don’t want to admit their process is Red, and will typically report things are Green. The problem is that they are missing an opportunity to get help before a small problem becomes a big problem. So, they go along thinking “I got this, it’s going to be OK” and report as Green, until “uh oh, it’s not going to be OK” and they need help to get things back on track. At this point, it is either too late, or extremely costly to get things back on track.

We should encourage people to report Red. We should make it simple and non-threatening to ask for help. I heard one company say, “We rally to the Red”. I believe that this is a great approach. It means that they see Red as a call to action, a call for help. It doesn’t feel like a personal failure if someone reports that their project is Red. It’s everyone’s priority to help get things back to Green. Imagine how much wasted effort and cost could be avoided if people were able to expose issues sooner and get help to resolve those issues.  

Before founding Process Improvement Partners LLC, I worked with a testing facility that was required to achieve a number of monthly goals. Working with the leader of the facility, we established owners for each of the approximately 25 distinct operating and storage areas in the facility. The Area Owners were responsible for the monthly goals in their area and were required to report the status of the compliance of their area. Area status was Red until all monthly goals were met. The aim was to achieve Green status before the end of the month. If the goal wasn’t met by the end of the month, the status would stay Red. More importantly, the facility was not fully compliant and it affected the performance and safety of those who worked there.

When we first implemented this new approach, the Area Owners were frustrated. They didn’t want to be Red. So, we incentivized the process. If we got all areas Green by the end of the month, we would buy everyone lunch. Once we did that, they began helping each other with each area, making sure that all requirements were met. They even challenged their peers, who would wait until the end of the month to complete the requirements. They wanted to be compliant earlier in the month. The process became fun, everyone pitched in, and the testing facility was the safest and most productive it had ever been.

The moral of the story? When we encourage our team to be honest about areas needing improvement, ask for help, and create solutions, the sooner we move our productivity and effectiveness to Green.