Operations

If you're running a legitimate business, you know how important it is to have smooth operations, right? If you come from startup land and you’ve managed to get to a point of scaling, the name of the game is implementing playbooks and creating a great culture for your team.

What are playbooks, you ask? Playbooks are basically documents that outline the best practices and processes for your business. They help you standardize your operations, avoid mistakes, and scale faster. Playbooks can cover anything from sales and marketing to product development and customer service.

Why do you need playbooks? Because they save you time and money. Imagine if every time you hired a new employee, you had to explain everything from scratch. Or if every time you launched a new feature, you had to figure out how to test it and market it. That would be a waste of resources and energy, right? Playbooks help you avoid reinventing the wheel and streamline your workflows.

How do you create playbooks? Well, in many cases, some of the best companies and investors have shared theirs. All in all, there's no one-size-fits-all answer, but here are some general steps:

- Identify the key areas of your operations that need playbooks. Think about what tasks are repetitive, complex, or critical for your success.

- Document the current processes for each area. Write down the steps, tools, roles, and metrics involved. You can use tools like Google Docs, Notion, or Airtable to create and store them.

- Review and optimize the processes. Look for gaps, inefficiencies, or inconsistencies in your processes. Ask for feedback from your team members and customers. Make improvements and updates as needed.

- Implement and monitor the playbooks. Train your team on how to use the playbooks and make them accessible and easy to follow. Track the results and impact of the playbooks on your operations. Adjust and refine them as you go.

Creating playbooks is not enough, though. You also need to create a great culture for your business. In my experience, a culture that fosters collaboration, innovation, and growth is the key to a wonderful working environment.

How do you create a great culture? First up, a definition of culture: it is not what we say, it is how we do it. One thing I bake into every culture I’m a part of is being a servant leader. A servant leader is someone who puts the needs of others before their own. Someone who empowers and supports their team members. Someone who leads by example and inspires others.

But, how have I been a servant leader in my career? Here are some things I strive to always do:

- Listen actively and empathetically to my team members and show them that I care about their opinions, feelings, and challenges;

- Give feedback and recognition regularly. Praise their achievements and help them improve their weaknesses;

- Delegate effectively and trust them. Give them autonomy and responsibility over their work. I don't like being micromanaged and I can’t imagine the people I work with like it either;

- Encourage learning and growth. I provide opportunities for my team members to develop new skills and knowledge and I support their personal and professional goals;

- Serve a higher purpose. Having run a business that helps other businesses to understand their missions, I remind my team members of the mission and vision of the business I am in while showing them how their work contributes to making a positive impact on the world.

By implementing playbooks and creating a great culture, I having taken operations to the next level. I have increased efficiency, quality, and customer satisfaction and I’ve attracted, trained and retained talented people who share my passion and vision.

If you have any questions or comments, feel free to get in touch, I’d love to help.