No Time for Systems Development? Try This.

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Effective systems are the essential building blocks of every prosperous business. They are responsible for our bottom line and our take-home pay. But if that's true, why do so few business owners get around to doing systems devleopment work. A major reason is that they are just "too busy sawing to sharpen the saw." Well, here's how you can spread the load to get the job done.

1. As business owner or top manager, you must lead the charge. You do that by spending time in "the zone" each day working on the business (Michael Gerber, E-Myth Revisited). If you are not working directly on your weakest or most important systems, then you are planning how to lead others in this endeavor. Your weekly meetings and reporting should be centered on improving vital systems. Your primary task is to convert your people to Systems Thinking—to change the organization's DNA, if necessary.
2. Top managers should give oversight to system development and improvement within their area of responsibility. When you pay high salaries to skilled people, the most important thing they can do is channel their knowledge into effective systems that get consistent results. When high-level people keep the systems in their head, you become dependent upon them—and worse—when they leave, they take the systems with them. By the way, with good systems in place, you don't need so many expensive people. Ordinary people can do extraordinary things when put into an effective system.
3. The pick and shovel work of system development is not difficult. It takes daily discipline and persistence to document procedures and acquire components. I have found the best solution is to hire college students—usually business majors—to work under my direction. Students are bright, eager to learn, and inexpensive. Of course they must understand the underlying principles of systems development. I have used dozens of college students over the years with great success. Some high-schoolers are also capable. This can be an invaluable learning experience for these students!

System development and process improvement is a team effort. Spread the workload out. Make daily progress. You will be amazed at what is accomplished over time. This is the only way for you to reduce waste, please customers and create and organization of excellence!

Wishing You Prosperous Times,
Ron