Is processes killing your productivity?

2016-02-22T15:28:18-05:00

Do you spend most of your time doing paperwork or following standardize processes in order to complete a task rather than doing the actual task? On a daily basis I find myself spending most of the day trying to complete processes and having meetings that are suppose to help expedite and track projects, but rather delay them due to the review and/or approval periods.

Response by MAJ Ken Landgren made Feb 22 at 2016 3:30 PM

2016-02-22T15:30:24-05:00

Email is pure evil.

Response by SGT Private RallyPoint Member made Feb 22 at 2016 3:49 PM

2016-02-22T15:49:13-05:00

While I was active, yes.

Response by COL Private RallyPoint Member made Feb 22 at 2016 4:16 PM

2016-02-22T16:16:12-05:00

I work in the Pentagon. You haven't seen process yet. You are a process neophyte.

Response by MAJ Private RallyPoint Member made Feb 22 at 2016 6:28 PM

2016-02-22T18:28:18-05:00

Absolutely. I see this every day and I'm only a lowly company level commander. The entities PBO, DPW, S1, S6, Sponsorship, etc. come to mind.

Response by CAPT Kevin B. made Feb 22 at 2016 7:18 PM

2016-02-22T19:18:10-05:00

I'm a systems type. Most organizations put or expand cumbersome processes that have limited value at most given steps because everyone wants to stick a fork in it. Unfortunately NCOs and officers are rewarded for "improvements" more frequently than better leadership when the boss gets a blinding flash of the obvious and lets go of the "how" and just trusts the "do". I had a number of times when I proposed dumping about 2/3rds the steps as limited value added and you should have seen the roaches scramble to find the footnote somewhere that justified their existence in the process. I was not popular walking in the door sometimes. So half the time was spent on people things in getting them to understand they'd be happier doing something real vs. mundane. Have to work the steps and the tools at the same time.

Response by CPT Mark Gonzalez made Feb 22 at 2016 7:29 PM

2016-02-22T19:29:41-05:00

Tweaking a perfectly good system for no real benefit to become some idiots evaluation bullet. Designing new training every year to force down Soldiers throats is a great idea to the developers. Writing policies and doctrine that no one will ever read is worthwhile when it is your job. The military is full of well intending people that completely screw others with unintended consequence and this make us incredibly inefficient.

Response by Sgt Private RallyPoint Member made Feb 22 at 2016 8:52 PM

2016-02-22T20:52:23-05:00

In my civilian career, I was involved with L6S Teams as a team member and consultant. The process works for very complex tasks, but is often used for minor tasks that do not need this level of detail. Sometimes, 500 hours might be spent to solve a 100 hour problem.

Response by PO3 Michael James made Feb 23 at 2016 6:52 PM

2016-02-23T18:52:24-05:00

LTJG Dodson, YES; and relating to.. Personally, for me, its like we reinvent everything, we are afraid to do something without crossing all T's.. we have to dissect every move, even talk it to death before moving forward.. SIMPLICITY = Productivity.. Simplicity = Safety, Simplicity = Quality.. Quality of the process, Safety and Simplicity of the process equals successful production/completion of the process.. We want to Produce, we want quality of our work, and we want it safe.. Simplify IT !