The present decade has been dramatic in terms of the changes occurring dynamically. But all too often companies are their own worst enemies when it comes to process improvement. As it can be difficult to identify which processes should be given more priority for improvement. A successful implementation journey is preceded by meticulous approach. Measures should be taken to avoid common pitfalls: avoid over-delegation, focus on staff issues rather than egos, appropriate staff to complete project concepts and design, and understand the realities of the particular project.

Here are the five pointers which will indicate you are off the course or on track:

Lack of organizing the processes

You should have a clear goal so that the process can be organized accordingly. A properly implemented and organized process should result in a work environment where all team members are aware of their responsibilities. If the organizing process is not conducted well, the results may yield confusion, frustration, loss of efficiency, and limited effectiveness.

Absence of succession planning for the future

Succession planning is ignored as there may be other organizational challenges on board. One of the prime reasons to focus on planning is the changing realities of workplaces. Of course, we rely on team members to carry out our missions, provide services and meet our organization’s goals. We need to think about what would happen to those services or our ability to fulfill the organization’s mission if a key staff member leaves the team.

Are you tracking important metrics?

The metrics are biggies which you need to be assured about. A sure sign of improvement is growth in the number of contributors you have and the return of investment year-over-year. This is true vice versa for lack of improvement. Poor performance with respect to investment growth is a major problem that should be tackled on multiple fronts. If you are ignoring these metrics, it will be difficult to move from one arena to the next.

Have you eliminated the waste/ inefficiencies?

The cause of amplified waste or inefficiencies in organizations is excessive lead times resulting in high storage costs, and makes it difficult to detect defects. You need to ask the question “Is the activity transforming the goods or service for better?” If the activity is not done right in the first place, all subsequent activities done to correct it are waste.

Absence of movement towards the goal every single day

Lack of strategic plans will be reflected in lack of direction which will reduce the organization’s potential for a competitive advantage. As a result the organization will be on the back foot to compete against its competition and loss of control over its financial standpoint and start moving away from the purpose of accomplishing its goal.

It is really easy to go off-course. You need to constantly make course corrections. As an organization ensure you get where you want by organizing processes, proper planning, tracking progress, eliminating waste and working towards the goal every single day.

Written By: Faber Mayuri Pandya and Faber Devna Chaturvedi