There are business processes where people, regardless of status, feel heard and understood. And there are processes that grind people.
I know, pushing for process implementation as I do and then claiming ‘bad’ ones exist seems counterintuitive. Any step up from the chaos should be good, right? Not really, when the actual humans aren’t taken into account. Managers quickly realise these processes bring no value either.
Today I’d like to look at people in processes from a different angle. To do that, we’d need to go back (forward?) in time.
Moyen age souffront
A rich person surrounded by doctors all holding curiously shaped vessels and devices, which era does this image belong to? Middle Age certainly, when people with more money and influence than sense did not know what was good for them… but wait! Are we still talking about a mediaeval nobility or Silicon Valley elite?
I recently came across an article on Bryan Johnson’s quest for age reversal and, ultimately, immortality. It took me a while to find the companies founded by Mr Johnson’s. No disrespect here. It’s that the latest news about him are dominated by detailed descriptions of his diet, daily routine and home interior, especially bedroom.
Another story, where Kayla Barnes, a wellness CEO and longevity clinic co-founder, obsessed with the routine that prolongs life, has found her match. He’s provided detailed information about his health, adapted to her routines and now both share longevity practices.
In her TEDx talk, Ekaterina Shulman describes a bizarre way Middle Age is reflected in our everyday digital actions. This involves ever increasing influence of cities, new guild order, blurring lines between work and leisure, and dubious health-related rituals.
It also repeats itself in growing exposure to public eye. The examples above showcase a blend of digital Middle Age practices and demonstrate how processes for the sake of processes enslave people.
The tail wags the dog
Where some see stories of success and wealth, I see high process dependence. These are somewhat extreme examples of course, driven by basic needs. But they’re not much different from some corporate world stories.
I’ve been talking to a fellow consultant, and she asked me at some point, “But there’s so much organisational software around, why don’t all companies just use it?” That’s a very common way to look at business processes, unfortunately.
There is no single out-of-the-box process structure that fits all companies. Yes, there are best practices and common wisdoms (one doesn’t wear a belt and a tie under their shirt and pants), but the key here is to adapt those.
Having processes for the sake of having them is just as wrong as having none at all. Maybe even worse. Because in case of anarchy, the team members might exhibit self-organisation and push it to management. When the processes have been already installed and demonstrate no sign of flexibility, it’s a dead end for people. So such processes become quickly surrounded with workarounds and crutches. Worst case scenario — they’re avoided or sabotaged.
Don’t throw stones in the mirror
To address the process inadequacy issue, we might once again turn to mediaeval practices.
A hare riding snails with human heads, a pig-headed — literally! — bishop, a nun harvesting intimate human organs from a tree. This isn’t street art or naughty comics description. It’s marginalia, bedazzling and funny images populating the margins of old manuscripts.
In addition to getting rid of boredom when copying thick books, there little drawings also have a satiric effect. The way royalty, army or clergy are depicted definitely makes fun of them. It also tells us that no position is held forever.
It’s impossible to crack while looking at animals in full knight regalia or bizarre chimaeras doing everyday things. Marginalia remind us of what happens when everything is highly regimented. Unnecessary parts get mercilessly ridiculed.
I’m not suggesting your team is drooling C-level as snakes or showing crude gestures. But resisting lack of flexibility certainly has an outlet. Jokes might be the most innocent. One of the next steps could be people quitting.
There’s a relatively easy way to avoid it though. Be honest. Acknowledge the fact that at that point introducing business processes was more of a fashion statement. Own it in front of your team. Dedicate time and effort to making it better. Involve everyone from the bottom up to drive real improvement. Reap the benefits from day one.
The importance of being earnest
Recognising the processes for the value they (not) bring is vital. The marginalia, that bad ones bring to life in work routines, are sobering. Sticking to practices that look good in public eye instead of those which contribute to company growth can mane or break the business.
There are more parallels between the Middle Age and now than we might think. Rather than trying to predict the future it’s important to apply the lessons already learnt. And have fun with marginalia of course!
