Employees' Number One Concern: Priorities

It’s that time of year again. We look back on the year and see what we’ve accomplished. Some of us have amassed proud track records over the year, some of us have been left reeling, having accomplished little. So what separates those who get things done from those who do not? And what does all this have to do with BPM?

Turns out, it has everything to do with BPM. An organization that encourages process thinking is focused on defining objectives, aligning processes with customer needs and providing rewards commensurate with each employee’s contribution. An organization that embraces BPM will find many employees happily logging their accomplishments at year end, content knowing that the work they did contributed to something larger than their own personal ambitions.

By providing a comprehensive framework for the design and documentation of critical processes, BPM eliminates the overwhelm that often accompanies less organized efforts. The paradox of a disciplined process framework is that it actually frees employees up to work creatively toward well-defined pursuits. It enables an organization to be less bureaucratic due to the very nature of the discipline it involves. It’s analogous to the classically trained rock musician that cranks out hit after hit. The basics are there and followed religiously; the good music is but a creative layering atop known “best practices” – whether chord progressions or workflow, it really doesn’t matter much. The resulting good work is purely a function of the solid foundational principles, consistently applied and continuously-improved.

The foundations of BPM make clear employee priorities, thus providing a perfect canvas on which to express individual talents in a manner consistent with the larger goals of the organization. How can you use BPM to get your own employees’ priorities well-defined and widely communicated? Ask me.