By @paul_hsu 
If you ask an executive in any company this question: Would you like to become operationally excellent? Without a doubt the answer would be a resounding yes, even if the executives didn’t know what operational excellence means. It just sounds….right.
Conversely, no companies would ever agree to be just operationally mediocre when they know that they have the ability to take it to the next level.
So, assuming we are aligned on the above, then the question becomes: What is operational excellence and how does one achieve it?
Achieving operational excellence
A search on the internet yields many definitions, such as “the ability to see the flow of value to customer and fix the flow when it breaks down” and a “philosophy of the workplace where problem-solving, teamwork, and leadership results in the ongoing improvement in an organization.” These are right in their own terms, but at Nintex we put it simply as the execution of the business strategy more consistently and reliably than the competition.
Why is this important to note? Because embedded is an implied nuance that by executing more consistently and reliably, you’ll be able to deliver more value to your customers quicker while reducing inefficiencies and waste. Value in this instance can be monetary, but it can also be how fast your new employees onboard or your legal team reviews contracts.
You might be asking yourself; how do you increase value? How do you deliver to customers faster? How do you create a better experience for your employees? How do you become more operationally excellent? Well, to put it simply, it’s all in your business processes.
Consider this, in order to deliver the goods to your customers faster, you would need to understand how your goods are manufactured. You’d have to start by learning the supply chain and optimize from there. You would need to consider disruptions and alternatives. So, to increase value you bring to your customers, you have to understand the processes that create these values.
Optimizing your processes
But how do you optimize your processes, let alone understand them, if you don’t even know what they are?
That is where process management comes in. Process management is the practice of improving company performance through managing and optimizing business processes. However, there is an implicit assumption in this – that you are documenting your processes. Afterall, how could you improve and collaborate on a process if you do not write it out?
As you can see, to become operationally excellent is to be able to execute strategies more consistently, therefore bringing more value to your customers and employees than your competitors. To do this successfully, you need to understand and document your processes and seek feedback, because functioning processes are a means that bring value to the table. In order to understand your processes, you need not only a tool, but a process-culture mindset that permeates your organization.
Register for the Nintex Process Excellence Summit
Join us on February 10th, 2021, for Nintex Process Excellence Summit. In this 4-hour virtual session, we will provide our unique perspectives on the approach and methodologies in driving operational excellence and continuous improvement through a process-driven culture. You’ll hear actionable insights and success stories from those who’ve done it well.
In case that wasn’t enough, we’ll also feature Chip Heath – a heavyweight in the field of business strategy, change, and sticky communication. He is the co-author of four New York Times best-selling books including Made to Stick: Why Some Ideas Survive and Others Die. Chip will explore why change is difficult yet critical for growth. When you attend our event, you’ll have a chance to get a digital copy of Switch, one of Chip’s top-seller in both The Wall Street Journal and The New York Times.
Don’t miss this opportunity to hear from Chip and other experts on process culture and change management. Register today to secure your spot or receive our on-demand link if you cannot attend live.
