Episode 2 - Are You Sure You Have a People Problem?

Transcription

Today, we’re talking about something that quietly determines whether your staff succeed or struggle — and whether you spend your time coaching or constantly correcting.

Effective processes are critical for staff success, individual outcomes, and compliance.

When processes are unclear or missing, staff make mistakes, ask endless questions, and perform tasks inconsistently. And when that happens, the people we support don’t get what they need or want, and agencies take on unnecessary risks.

Welcome to the Provider Power Boost podcast. I am your host, Sara Sherman. Here, I leverage my 35 years of experience in the field to give you practical steps that create big results in your agency and in your workday.

This episode is brought to you by TrueLink. TrueLink partners with hundreds of IDD organizations nationwide to streamline how clients receive and use their funds. Many programs still rely on paper checks, cash, and manual receipts — which creates risks and makes audits difficult.

The TrueLink platform replaces that entire process with reloadable Visa debit cards, built-in spend controls, and audit-ready reporting. TrueLink keeps clients safer, gives staff back valuable time, and provides clear visibility into every transaction. If your organization is interested in learning more, check the show notes for contact information.

Today, we’re going to challenge a common assumption. That assumption is that performance problems are always people problems. In most cases, they’re just not.

If you’ve ever attended one of my trainings, at this point you are probably yelling process, process — and that is correct. Well done.

Most often, performance problems are born from faulty processes. They’re not people problems at all. They are process problems.

As you listen today, think about one task you or your staff struggle with, or ask questions about repeatedly. Got it in your mind? Hold that thought.

So, what is a process? A process is simply a set of step-by-step instructions designed to achieve a specific result. That result is what we define as success.

Complete the process correctly. Achieve success.

So, one more time: a process is a set of step-by-step instructions designed to achieve a specific result. If someone follows the process, they should reliably arrive at the correct outcome. If they can’t, the process itself is flawed.

Research tells us that about 40% of new hires leave their job within the first year because of what they describe as a lack of training. But what they often mean is this: they don’t know what to do well enough to be successful in their jobs.

And the reason they feel like their training has failed them is because we cannot have effective training when we don’t have clear processes to train on.

Think of a process like a maze or a road map. The staff person starts at the beginning, enters the maze, follows the appropriate path, and should exit at the correct destination.

If someone gets lost in the maze, the first question isn’t, “Oh my gosh, what is wrong with this staff person?”
The first question is truly, “Is the maze built correctly?”

Again, if someone is lost in the maze, the first question isn’t, “What’s wrong with this staff person?”
The first question is, “Is the maze built correctly?”

Every problem in your organization fits into one of two categories. It is either a process problem or a people problem. Where do you think we start?

Again, if you’ve been in any of my trainings, you’re yelling process. And that is correct. Process first. People second.

If you recycle people without fixing broken processes, that problem never goes away. You just keep replacing staff.

Think about the last performance issue that you addressed. Did you start by examining the process, or by focusing on the person? If you focused on the person and the process doesn’t work, I’m going to guess that person is still not performing correctly.

Writing down processes is the most critical and most skipped step in effective agency operations. Let me say it again: writing down processes is the most critical and the most skipped step in effective agency operations.

Without written processes, staff are expected to memorize enormous amounts of information. And when they don’t, they’re judged as careless, incapable, or — my favorite — lazy.

Written processes create consistency.
Written processes make it easy to train and retrain.
Written processes support corrective action.
Written processes protect compliance.

There’s a reason we say in our field: if it isn’t written down, it doesn’t exist.

When processes aren’t defined, staff are confused and frustrated. Mistakes increase, and gossip replaces clarity. Gossip replaces clarity.

Some staff invent their own methods to get the work done, and others avoid the work altogether. These behaviors are often misinterpreted as motivation problems, but they’re actually agency systemic failures.

Let’s take a quick example. Let’s look at grocery shopping.

The steps are very straightforward. Look at the menu. Make a list. Take off the items you already have in the house. Get the cards to buy the groceries. Get the keys for the vehicle. Complete your transportation forms. Shop. Come back. Put the groceries away. Document. Clean everything up.

Completely straightforward. Many management members I work with would define this as common sense.

But how many of you actually have a written process that describes all of these steps?

Not many. Because what I hear from providers is that staff don’t put the groceries away. Staff don’t buy food items that support the menu. Staff don’t buy snacks — healthy items — diverse items.

I mean, everybody’s got chicken nuggets and macaroni and cheese, right?

They don’t buy items from all the food groups. They buy things that conflict with a person’s medical issues and medical needs. They don’t check out vehicles correctly. They leave trash in the vehicles. They don’t document mileage. They don’t turn in transportation forms.

Rarely, when I work with providers, do I encounter written procedures that describe all the requirements.

Management is frustrated because they told staff what the requirements were — and staff aren’t performing. Yet there is no written documentation for staff to double-check themselves, confirm they’ve completed all required steps, or make adjustments to their work.

They’re running on memory. They do what they remember, feel like it’s enough, and move on to the next thing.

It’s super important that you remember this: written processes create consistency. Written processes reduce errors. Written processes decrease questions. And written processes support compliance.

Always, always, always, always, always — process first, people second.

So I ask you to think about one task your staff struggle with, or ask questions about repeatedly. Either write down the process if it isn’t written, or review the process if staff aren’t getting it right.

Can they use the process and complete the task successfully? If not, changes are needed.

If yes — then, and only then — do you know you have a people problem.

Remember: when staff succeed, individuals thrive. And step one for any organization, regardless of the services you provide, is having clear, written processes.

What do you think? Leave me a comment, or shoot me an email at Sara — (S-A-R-A) — sara@providerpowermoves.com.  That’s in the show notes. Or ask me a question. I’d love to hear what’s on your mind and turn it into a podcast to give you the answers you’re seeking.

Until next time — power on.