Process Isn't Bad- YOUR Process Is Bad.
Let's talk about why everyone hates "process."
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We’ve all heard the same complaints about HR systems. (Sorry HR friends.) Your manager approves your day off, but HR's system won't let you submit the request because it's "too late." Or you need new software for a project, but procurement requires three levels of approval and a 30-day waiting period. It's maddening.
While it’s easy to think that process is the problem here, I say that’s not the case at all. It’s just that most people think of process the wrong way.
Good Process vs. Bad Process
When a CEO says, "We're going to double revenue this year!" the first question is always, "How?" The answer is inevitably a process: target these customers, launch these products, and hire this many salespeople. Nobody complains about that kind of process because it makes sense.
But mention submitting a purchase order or filing an expense report, and watch people's eyes roll back into their heads.
Why Most Corporate Processes Fail
The problem isn't process – it's rigidity.
A few months ago, I got approved for a day off. The night before, plans changed and I didn't need it anymore. Simple fix, right? Nope. The HR system wouldn't let me cancel same-day PTO.
This rigidity gets even worse with unexpected events. Snow day closes daycare? Good luck with that same-day PTO request. This is what I call the "Computer Says No" syndrome. It's when processes are designed for the system's convenience, not the users'.
The Better Way
Think about processes like you think about software: they need regular updates. When I pack for my kids' swim classes, I have a checklist. Here's what I wrote then about leveraging a process:
By updating the process every time we used it, we made it incrementally better every time.
This is the core of why most people hate process.
This is how processes should work:
Start with a basic framework
Let people actually use it
Update based on real feedback
Repeat
But most people don’t provide feedback and don’t have the ability to update a process they’re following. A process that can’t be updated becomes out of date quickly and that is what creates friction for its usefulness.
Process Is Everywhere (Even When You Don't Notice)
Here's something that might blow your mind: every time I walk into my house, I take off my shoes. In the winter, I also take off my coat. As it gets warmer and I stop wearing a coat, I don’t. That's a process. No checklist needed. No formal documentation required. Just a simple, effective routine that serves a purpose.
Yet when we talk about "process" at work, we act like it needs to be this formal, rigid thing. It doesn't.
A New Mental Model
Instead of thinking about process as a rigid set of rules, think of it as a living playbook. Even simple daily routines are processes – how you start your workday, how you plan your meetings, and how you organize your tasks.
When I sit at my desk to start my work day, I usually start in the same way. I check my calendar to lay out my hard requirements for the day, then I prioritize from my task list, before posting my daily standup in #product-standup. It works because I built this process for me. When it stops working, I can tweak it for my needs. When I wrap up my day, I take a look at all the tasks that I didn’t get done and make a list that I can work from the next day.
The Real Problem
The issue isn't that organizations have processes. It's that they treat them like ancient religious texts that can never be modified. "That's how we've always done it" might be the seven most dangerous words in business.
The Way Forward
Great processes are like good APIs. They should:
- Handle edge cases without breaking
- Make the right way the easy way
- Evolve based on usage
A Framework for Process Alignment
Here's how to think about process alignment:
Strategic processes need flexibility for big pivots
Operational processes need clear exception paths
Personal processes need to fit individual styles
Miss any of these, and you get the eye-rolling, soul-crushing processes we all hate.
The Big Picture
The irony is beautiful: the more flexible you make a process, the more likely people are to follow it. Let that sink in.
Want better processes? Stop treating them like immutable laws and start treating them like living documents. Your team members will thank you.