People or Process Why Your Business Keeps Having the Same Problems

You fixed it. At least, you thought you did. A few weeks later, the same customer complaint returns, the same deadline is missed, or the same task falls through the cracks. Why are we still having the same problems?

As a Fractional COO and operations consultant, I often see business owners so busy putting out fires that they have little time to examine why those fires keep starting. One question helps us begin: Is it a people problem or a process problem?

We Are Quick to Blame the Person

When something goes wrong, it is easy to assume someone is not doing their job. An employee misses a step, a manager does not follow through, or a customer does not receive the promised update. Sometimes performance is the issue. Before reaching that conclusion, examine the process around the person.

• Is there a documented process and a clear owner?
• Were expectations communicated and the employee trained?
• Does everyone follow the same procedure?
• Does the employee have the tools and information needed?
• Is performance measured, with feedback and follow-up?

If several answers are no, the apparent people problem may be an operations problem.

When It Is a Process Problem

Process problems hide in plain sight. One employee learned a task from someone who left years ago. Another created a workaround. A third relies on an outdated checklist. Everyone believes they are following “the process,” but there is no single, current process.

A useful standard operating procedure (SOP) establishes consistency, supports training, and makes expectations visible. Without documented processes, a business relies on tribal knowledge, which can disappear when a key employee leaves.

When It Is a People Problem

A good process cannot replace performance and leadership. If a person understands the expectations, has been trained, has the resources and a reasonable workload, and still repeatedly fails to follow through, the issue may be performance or accountability. Diagnose the situation before reacting. Replacing an employee will not repair a broken process, and rewriting a procedure will not resolve a persistent accountability issue.

The Silent Supervisor Problem

Imagine an employee repeatedly ignoring a procedure. The supervisor notices but says nothing, perhaps because the conversation is uncomfortable or the team is stretched thin. Weeks pass, and leadership becomes frustrated. What message did the silence send?

Silence can unintentionally become acceptance. Managers need clear expectations for coaching, documentation, follow-up, and accountability. Sometimes a process exists, but leadership is not managing it consistently.

Stop Solving Symptoms

A recurring customer complaint might trigger a quick instruction to “talk to the employee.” Look deeper. Was the procedure unclear? Was information missing? Did technology fail? Was the workload realistic? Was the employee trained? Did the supervisor already know?

These questions uncover the root cause. Instead of starting with “Who messed up?” ask “What broke down?”

The People or Process Approach

My business partner, Kim Laughlin of Cultural Apex Coaching, and I created People or Process™ to help organizations examine recurring problems from both sides. Kim brings the people and leadership perspective; I bring the operations and process perspective. Together, we look at how people, process, leadership, and accountability interact before recommending a fix.

Try This With Your Team

Choose one recurring problem. Write down what is happening and what should be happening. Then ask:

• Is the expected process documented, current, and realistic?
• Has everyone been trained, and does each person know who owns the outcome?
• Is the process being followed consistently?
• How is success measured, and what happens when expectations are not met?
• Who will follow up, and when?

You may find that the person you have been frustrated with is working within a flawed system. Or you may discover that the process is sound and accountability is missing. Either way, you are closer to solving the actual problem.

Your Business Should Not Depend on You Putting Out Fires

If you constantly answer the same questions, resolve recurring issues, check everyone’s work, or chase missed tasks, your business may have outgrown its current operational structure. The processes and responsibilities that worked with five employees may not work with fifteen or fifty. Growth calls for systems and clear accountability that can grow with you.

Ready to Find Out What Is Really Going On

At Cornerstone Virtual Partners, Inc., we help businesses identify operational chaos and build the systems, processes, and accountability needed to move forward. Through People or Process™, Kim and I help leaders determine whether recurring challenges come from people, processes, or the interaction between them.

Before replacing another employee or adding another checklist, ask: Is it the people or is it the process? The answer should guide what you do next.

Learn More

Cornerstone Virtual Partners, Inc. Fractional COO, operations management, strategy, SOPs, systems, and project management.

People or Process™ tools, assessments, workshops, and resources for diagnosing recurring problems. Visit www.peopleorprocess.net or email [email protected].