Systems are more important than people...
A year ago, I would have vehemently argued the opposite. Back then I was fully on board with the philosophy of "right people, right seats, right bus, everything else will follow." Not anymore.
What changed my mind? Over the past year I've helped design and implement systems with everything from rock star teams to mediocre (low trust, low functioning) teams, and guess what, independent of the people, the systems made all the difference.
Now, if you are in the People First Above All Else Camp, hear me out, because I still am too technically.
What I've observed is that all people thrive within well-designed and efficient systems, but even the best of the best can't survive without one. And it takes good people to design good systems - a bit of a chicken-and-egg scenario.
What does this look like in a company?
Do you have a system for holding meetings? More on this some other time, but there are 5 types of meetings, and never shall the lines between them become fuzzy. Each one has its own framework to follow and in that consistency is the magic. Start each one the same, wrap up each one the same, let people know what to expect, and in that creates room for flexibility.
Is there a system in place for onboarding new employees? Take the guesswork out of who is their touchpoint for the first 90-120 days. When does each new hire receive progress updates and how do these touchpoints occur? Create a system for garnering feedback (their fresh perspective is priceless!) and what will be asked. Make a framework, stick to it, iterate as needed, and be consistent. It doesn't matter what department they are in or who they report to, what matters is that it happens the same way across the organization.
What about a system for getting feedback from employees? I worked at a company with a "suggestions box" hanging in a high-traffic hallway. After roughly 7 years with this company, I asked my boss if we ever get any suggestions. She said she didn't know but thought it had turned into a receptacle for cigarette butts. Awesome. Great idea from some well-meaning person, but there was no system for who checks it, when, how does the feedback progress up the ranks, what gets communicated back to employees, where does the communication take place, etc. Create a system and flourish.
One last example, although I could keep going, is employee reviews. The system of the annual employee review is flawed. An annual review never actually captures 12 months of work and usually focuses on the previous three. If there was a misstep to bring to an employee's attention, it should have happened in real time, and if corrected, should not be brought up months later. And any goals set a year ago should be moot if that employee is doing good work. Do we get rid of reviews altogether? No, we create a better system.
It takes bright minds to problem solve, create efficiencies, and design functional systems. But there is only the energy and headspace for this if employees aren't winging everything. A good system must come first, and great people will excel within it.
Please let me know your thoughts. As Adam Grant says, "Changing your mind is not a sign of losing integrity. It's often a mark of gaining wisdom. Realizing you were wrong doesn't mean you lack judgment. It means you lacked knowledge. Opinions are what you think today. Growth comes from staying open to revising your views tomorrow."
Originally posted on LinkedIn
https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/systems-more-important-than-people-brittany-cooper-bqs1c
