The last three years or so have been a rough, steep learning curve for me. And I’m not just talking about parenting twins (they turn three in November.)
About four or five years ago things were going very smoothly here at Heart of Business. I had a virtual assistant, Susan, the same one we have today. I had a full client load, our courses were full, I wasn’t working too hard. The easy life, if I may say so.
Then, I had a clear message, one I tried to ignore, but couldn’t really. “You need to learn about teamwork, leadership and collaboration.” Really? “You need to learn about teamwork, leadership and collaboration.”
Oy gevult. Okay. I can do that.
It meant turning Heart of Business into a company instead of just a solo practice. So I started to do a few different things:
- Brought on more help, including a full-time administrative/operations person.
- Ran a beta practitioner training program, and brought on practitioners to work with clients. (Look for a full blown practitioner training program in the second half of 2012.)
- Start to think, or try to think, strategically in creating more long-term plans.
I learned a few things along the way. I learned I am not the most gifted team leader. I learned that I’m far more visionary than I thought I was. I learned that you can easily weigh down a small business with too much overhead.
In fact, it may not have been very noticeable from the outside, but we had a bit of a squeaker at the end of 2010 cash-flow-wise. The company was working, things were in flow, but we had over-invested in team, and the expenses were catching up with us.
It was an expensive mistake, and one many small businesses make, miserable, miserable.
If you were around Heart of Business the end of last year, you know that one of our team members resigned, which was sad, but also permitted us, especially me, to regroup and reorient.
After a few months with a skeletal crew we were blessed to have a new person show up, Christiane Holbrook, who has made a huge difference to the way we are developing, and who has introduced me to something I never really understood before.
Introducing Project Management. Huh?
Project management is a particularly dull topic for your typical visionary business owner. But let me tell you something: once your business gets beyond a certain level of complexity, project management is where it’s at.
The recent relaunch of our website took a little over six weeks from the first team meeting (me, Christiane, Tzaddi, and Meris), to the launch. I can’t tell you how many website launches I’ve seen stretch out to four, six or even twelve months.
The difference is that someone (Christiane) was watching what we got done, and how we got it done.
There’s Project Management and Then There’s Process Management
Project Management can sometimes look like baby sitting, where someone is checking daily on different team members to make sure that tasks are getting checked off, and there is flow between everyone. This can be incredibly wonderful, except that we want to build a team of self-accountability here.
Christiane made a distinction between project management and process management. Process management is different in that you identify and outline a process whereby things get done. It involves taking a list of tasks and turning them into a system that can be repeated, perhaps with some variation, next time you do something similar.
Instead of daily project management, we’re working towards weekly, monthly and quarterly process management. It’s incredibly freeing.
I don’t yet have the definitive answer to all of this, because we’re in the middle of it, but so far it’s been a beautiful, errrr, process.
When Is It Time for Some Process Management?
Except perhaps in the earliest stages of business building, which I call “Creation” when it’s all about play and exploration, you can always use some thought given to creating better systems and support structures for how you do things.
But to have a true process/project manager, I think you need to reach at least one of these three benchmarks. If you have no mind/talent at all for basic project management, you may need it earlier. If you’re good at it, you still may need it earlier to free you up to be the visionary of your business.
1. You are finding yourself overwhelmed with repetitive tasks.
You have things that need to be done on a regular, or semi-regular basis. It’s one thing to create a checklist and make it a “system.” It’s another to take the time to rethink the entire process and how it could be done easier.
And even another thing to think about how to create it as a project that someone else could do.
2. You are finding yourself overwhelmed managing any help you have.
You may have already hired an assistant of some kind, and they may be helping you tremendously. However, you realize that you are feeling heavy, burdened, or otherwise even annoyed when they come to you asking for questions or input.
There is some way you are creating yourself as a bottleneck. The solution requires both letting go of control, meaning giving the person doing the work the power and responsibility to make decisions, as well as getting more clear on the process itself.
3. You have more than one team member.
You may not have any employees, or anyone even close to full time. But if you’ve grown to the point that you have a team, you are probably really feeling the overwhelm from number two above.
Unless you are an experienced team leader or manager, you may not know how to run a team effectively. In which case you need help sorting out the process of running the team.
Finding a Process Manager
It’s not as easy as finding an administrative assistant. Plenty of people can get things done, but many of them don’t think in terms of systems or processes. You have to keep your eyes open to make sure the person you engage can help re-organize your processes from scratch and bring them into a high pitch of efficiency and ease.
Since we’re embarking on this, I’m still learning myself. I’m curious if you’ve had experience with the difference between project management and process management? What are your best tips or questions?
29 Responses
Fantastic article Mark! (And your momentum audio too :D) — I spend time with CEOs and entrepreneurs, all of whom understand project/process management quite deeply, and I also hang out with artists, healers, alternatives, who I’ve found, on the whole… don’t. Very interesting contrast, thanks for sharing! 🙂
Hey Jason- I know, it’s an amazing skill set that the change-agents really need and often don’t have.
I love the idea of process management.
Thank you as always for your willingness to share your challenges. It’s so very helpful.
Blessings
Of course, Susan. You are so welcome.
What a great post, Mark, thank you. As always, I learn so much from your transparency about your own biz process.
I have not yet reached any of the three points you mention in your post, but I am already engaged in process management: the wonderful @kellykingman is coaching me through my first launch, even as we speak, and we use Highrise to create weekly to do lists for me. What I’m loving is that these to-do lists are becoming templates for future launches. It’s incredibly freeing to know it’s all getting captured for future lather-rinse-repeat opportunities.
Yay, systems!
Whoops, I meant to say we use Basecamp, not Highrise. I’m new to this, obviously. ::grin::
Julica- I am so glad you are started early. And I’ve heard great things about Kelly’s work.
I like the idea of process management and have already started implementing some of these techniques intuitively in a stumbling sort of way as I’m redesigning my business 🙂
I am wondering if there are any resources where I could find even a simple overview of techniques since I’m not at the place where I could afford a coach.
thanks!
Arrowyn- you know, I just don’t have any resources. Christiane and I are doing it from scratch. If she does, I’ll get her to write something up and post it.
Thanks!
Hmmm, Christiane here. I wish I could help but no, there really aren’t any resources. I think that’s for two reasons: 1. Entrepreneurs in general find creating this “stuff” boring and 2. the processes are very specific to the client and the firm.
Hi Arrowyn (and anyone else who’s interested in this topic)
I’ve been working on some project/process management products for creative entrepreneurs (who find this stuff ‘boring’). It focuses on making it pretty, cool, fun, and not *too* structured.
Here’s a sneak peek if it helps you:
http://spiritsentient.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/10/simple_steps_product_preview.jpg
Basically it consists of:
1. Writing a clear WANT (goal)
2. Writing down some SIGNS (kpis) that indicate if you’re closer to your WANT or further
3. Writing an AIM-FOR date.
4. Breaking the WANT (goal) down into a few BIG STEPS
5. Breaking down the big steps into LITTLE STEPS
Ta-Da! Basic project management for creative entrepreneurs. Hope that helps!
Thanks Jason. It helps to have some sort of structure to launch from. 🙂
Very cool, simple, straightforward process, Jason. Thanks for sharing it.
Yay! My pleasure guys, and thanks for the feedback! The full product is going to be fantastic, I’m psyched 🙂
Mark, thank you for sharing your wisdom, and for igniting this thought process in all of us! It is important and I appreciate the distinction between project and process management… especially the idea of re-examining a process so that someone else could handle the project! I’m working on this now for another client and your article came at a very good time. Thank you!
Tia- thanks for commenting, since you are the systems person extraordinaire. Your other client is lucky (as am I). In case folks didn’t pick up on this, Tia’s firm supports us.
Such an important topic, thanks Mark. As ever, I am so refreshed by your transparency.
I had a few false starts with hiring assistants until I landed upon my current guy, Daniel. He seriously dropped from the heavens. He’s local which was more important to me than I realized (the VA thing worked less well for me), and he has a completely different mindset from me (very process/system-oriented – an engineer by trade) yet aligns very much with my core values and business mission. He’s happy enough doing the mundane repetitive stuff and follow my systems AND he can make great strategic decisions and create his own systems – which I think may be a rarity?
Anyway, I’m overflowing with happiness about the match and I know from personal experience what a massive difference it makes to find the right person to support you and I am so grateful I found him.
(Out of interest, two of my clients actually coach people through the hiring process; I know it’s a very strong niche for them as lots of people need this and it’s a worthwhile investment. If anyone in the UK wants their details, let me know!)
With love and respect, as ever,
Corrina
Corrina- you know we’ve had our false starts, too. And amazing for you to have found such a match! It is relatively rare… and it is findable, as you can see. Woo-hoo!
Corrina–I need a Daniel! Does he have a twin? Can you clone him? I am at this moment, putting in my request to the Universe for a “Daniel” to show up in my business life!
Blessings and Light,
Elizabeth
Haha – Elizabeth – I’m already wanting to clone him for if he ever decides to leave Cambridge! I trust the Universe will bring you the perfect “Daniel” for you 🙂
Hi Sir Mark,
I am very much grateful for the tips you have here. With great respect, I adore the things you point out as well. I have quite got to tell more but this would be fit.
Anyways, I am not a really pro on managing people and resources, I just got recently been promoted on my job. At first I started out as a contractual employee, contract that mostly expires without valid date, a day or two or the moment the “boss” wants to take you out of the team. Through perseverance I managed to keep on track and done many projects by myself.
I have been a solo guy on the team, but I managed to get the project done with near perfection. I am a resourceful guy and I agree on the pointer you made here that “so called freedom” wherein your boss lets you handle things that would enhance the team. By it I made progress and there then my boss noticed my efforts. My teammates are quite new, they don’t yet have the experience on taking such tasks. My boss has got a hectic schedule and wants a VA. He chose me as it reflects my character as a team builder.
After a year, I am quite in the position now to teach and promote people in the team I am in. So far I managed to couch them just like the ones I had been doing solo. The thing is the team really is fun and great. I can understand them and coach things needed for the team to survive.
I am happy to tell I managed to study the ones you pointed out, though a little earlier than your posts via YouTube.
I have my great admiration and would love to link your post here to my teammates.
___
Happy Blogging!
Hizon Sumaria 🙂
Hi Hizon- Glad it was so helpful for you.
Mark, I want to thank you for this post even though I probably have a different reason than most people 😉 Something that’s been simmering on my back burner for a while now is that I want to work with businesses longer term, with a part of that work being project management type duties. However, the “babysitting” school of project management sounds like something I’d get bored with very fast and that I have no interest in doing – process management, on the other hand, sounds fascinating and much more up my alley. So thank you for the little shift of perspective – I think it will be very useful to me as I develop my service set.
Rock on, Michelle! You are so welcome, and not only is it a better fit for you, it’s more affordable and accessible to the people who need!
Michelle,
I’m so glad that Mark’s blog post helped you see this new possibility. Yes, I too used to “just” coach my clients but once I shifted to “rolling up my sleeves” and working within my clients’ businesses, I’ve loved life.
So, find some amazing clients (think Mark as a standard ;-)) and then work collaboratively with them and their teams. You’ll have fun! I promise.
Chrisitiane
Great article, Mark. Thanks for posting it. I’m looking forward to reading more of your posts 🙂
Hi Mark.. I agree that teamwork is really important in every organization and sometimes, it also needs cooperation and coordination as well…
thanks for your sharing i am really like your articles its very useful to management