Processes are not commonly thought of in our daily lives. Yet they are foundational to the success of both non profit and for profit organizations. They create the routines that make things work. Processes help produce quality outputs with confidence.
Self-interest, laziness, and an attitude of “I know what is right” all destroy the good that processes try to protect. They are the enemies of process. When these things appear, the person has no time for process nor interest in what it will yield.
They simply want what they want at the expense of all others. It’s not that our processes are always the best, but they do slow us down enough to gather information and give us the time to assess both short term and long term effects when they need to be changed. It brings to us an objectivity which helps us gain and understand a context as to why a process or decision has been structured in a certain manner.
To be effective in our efforts, especially when we feel that “I know what is right”, we need to work within the process. Respect the process for what it is. Find gaps or issues with the process while a part of it. Learn more about other people’s thoughts and ideas before destroying an organization’s culture by being selfish and single minded.
As with so many things in life, doing what is counterintuitive (by participating in a process that you passionately want to bypass) is a good place to start in helping organizations become more effective.