Unexpected things are going to happen. Read that again. Think about that. Things that you don’t expect are going to happen. There’s a lot of stuff that’s possible in this world and a lot of randomness, and things that we aren’t anticipating are going to happen, so we need to have system in place and procedures to get us through those times.
By definition, unexpected things are things that we’re not planning on. These are things that could happen. We want to have contingencies in place . . . but we don’t know exactly what’s going to happen and when. We need to know how to get through an unexpected path.
Systems are critical. When things are good, when things are going the way they should be, we should be investing time and energy to understand the processes we’re using, to document them, to make sure that they’re followed repeatedly, to make sure that our teams are working in unison on a set process. This allows us to deal much better with the unexpected. We can transfer a documented process from one staff member to another. We can bring somebody in to do a documented process.
If your head becomes cloudy because of the unexpected, you can still follow a system and procedure if you know where you’re going and how you’re doing it. Those systems will see you through. We don’t even need to discuss all the other benefits of systems such as allowing improvement, allowing processes to be evaluated, and figuring out our weak points. These are all great values of systems as well, but you really also want to have the systems in place in case something unexpected happens so that you can get through it, so you can manage the disruption, so you can get to the next level.
What’s been your experience with implementing systems? Do you currently have sufficient systems in place? Where are your weak points? What could you do better? Join us in the discussion below.
This posting is intended to be a tool to familiarize readers with some of the issues discussed herein. This is not meant to be a comprehensive discussion and additional details should be discussed with your attorneys, accountants, consultants, bankers and other business planners who can provide advice for your circumstances. This article should not be treated as legal advice to any person or entity. Freeimages.com/Miguel Fonseca.
About the Author
R. Shawn McBride — R. Shawn McBride is the Managing Member of The R. Shawn McBride Law Firm, PLLC. Shawn works successful, private business owners in their growth and missions to make a company that stands the test of time. You can reach R. Shawn McBride at [email protected] or 407-517-0064.
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