Not having standard operating procedures (SOPs) is a recipe for disaster.
Hi y’all,
Last week we talked about how to manage a team, but one of the most important parts of managing a team effectively is setting them up for success.
What that means to me is properly communicating expectations or having straightforward Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) for recurring tasks. When one or the other is not in place, it’s a recipe for disaster — but that’s my fault as a leader.
Because even though I’ve hired smart, capable people, they each have unique approaches to problem-solving, as any good team member will. Without clear processes, there’s room for misalignment and inefficiency.
It’s a challenge I heard repeated the past couple of weeks at ARA’s Women in Rental and MATRA. Owners and managers are struggling to manage a team that isn’t meeting their expectations, yet when we talk about what systems they have in place to set their teams up for success, it’s lacking.
What do the successful business owners I talk to have in common? They’ve taken the time to develop solid processes, communicate them effectively, and commit to consistent training have far fewer issues than those who assume their teams will “figure it out” or frequently shuffle new hires.
Over the years, I’ve fallen into a few traps myself:
- Letting “perfect” delay my updates to documentation, fearing things would change soon anyway.
- Relying solely on verbal instructions for tasks that really needed visual guides.
- Skipping quality checks when pressed for time, only to face bigger issues later.
These shortcuts may seem small, but they impact team effectiveness and scalability. And communicating once isn’t enough. The Rule of 7, grounded in psychology, suggests people need to hear a message seven times before it sticks!
So don’t assume that your team or your crew isn’t listening to you or that they’re purposefully not following your direction. They might just not have really heard you yet.
I recommend starting with these top 5 SOPs so you don’t have to start from square 1.
Below I link to 15 more SOP ideas. Who else have you relied on in the past to help you standardize your business?
See you next Tuesday,
Mallory Mullen
Goodshuffle
