We all know that our personal daily habits contribute to our overall wellbeing; few businesses recognise that this same principle of habit formation can transform and simplify their operations.
When a business lacks a process-based management system, developing good daily habits in the organisation at every level can be challenging, and human error can become a more frequent occurrence. A recent analysis by the Australian government showed that human error was the cause of 41% of data breaches in organisations in the six-month period to December 2021.[1]
It is the small daily tasks that get missed, or not executed effectively, that leave a business open to risk. Mistakes on quotes, incomplete contracts and a lack of consistent communication between staff, are all common human errors that can be costly, and potentially cause damage to an organisation’s reputation. As James Clear states in his recent book Atomic Habits…
“You do not rise to the level of your goals. You fall to the level of your systems.”
There are four elements to developing good daily habits.[2]
1. Make it obvious and visual
2. Make it attractive
3. Make it rewarding
4. Make it easy
When we work with our clients on building successful process-based management systems, we utilise these four elements of habit formation. We make the process visible by using real time dashboards, prompts to mobiles, and clear visual processes to follow. The systems are attractive to staff, as there are clear outlines that minimise confusion, and staff are rewarded by being able to do things well in a consistent manner.
Most importantly, we make the process easy!
When your business has a successful process-based management system, it operates smoothly, tasks become simplified, risk is minimised, and staff happily form good habits that result in business success.
References
1https://www.businessaustralia.com/resources/news/human-error-a-major-factor-in-data-breaches
2James Clear, Atomic Habits, An Easy & Proven Way to Build Good Habits & Break Bad Ones, London, Avery, 2018
