Standard Operating Procedures - Flaws and Fixes
"If you think of standardization as the best thing that you know today, but which is to be improved tomorrow; you get somewhere." Henry Ford
Standard operating procedures (SOPs), rule books, or company policies are the blue print or instruction manuals for how things get done specific to that organization. I can't tell you how many of them I've read, wrote, or ignored. I'm not knocking SOPs out the gates here. They have their place, but there is a better way to create and utilize them.
Many commanders I worked for in the Army would enter a unit for their relatively short stint (2-3 years) demanding to create SOPs for practically everything. Their intentions were sound - get everyone operating off of the same sheet of music and make a lasting impact on a unit, but their approach often flawed. I would often hear, "that's SOP," meaning, "that's how it's done here." Here are a few flaws and fixes for SOPs.
Flaws
They are written for today and may not be relevant tomorrow when things have changed.
"That's SOP," loses water when new people are added to the team, such as contractors who are not acquainted with them.
They can be too long. Every step is outlined and described in detail over numerous pages. People do not read much these days. Like email, the longer it is, the less it will be read.
They are unrealistic or too rigid, created in a vacuum, void of reality, and too strict.
Fixes
Make them short, 1-2 pages listing out simple steps and or checklists to follow
Present them as more of a guideline versus a hard set of steps to follow. SOPs can help people think of things they might not otherwise, and guide (not dictate) them through execution.
Have only a few and include them in onboarding so new people know they exist.
Revisit them often for updates. Things change, so too should SOPs.
SOPs can be a very valuable document to a company moving at the speed of light. They should be written in the spirit of personnel turnover. James leaves today but the guidelines he used remain. Consider SOPs in your organization but be considerate when creating and following them. Lastly, as Albert Einstein stated, "standardize things... not human beings." Holler if I can help!
Make it Personal!
Rob
Rob Campbell