Do You Have Too Much Reliance On Process?

Written by lewsauder

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September 17, 2012

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A Reliance On Process

I remember growing up, watching my mother put recipes together. She was meticulous in making sure that her measurements were exact. And the meals she prepared were predictably consistent.

A reliance on process

When I ventured out on my own as an adult, I followed the same process. I was careful to measure things out to precision. Over time I learned that there were some things that needed to be followed. For instance if I was baking, things like baking soda and yeast should be precise.

If I was making a marinade however, I learned that I can increase the amount of garlic, salt or other ingredients to customize it to my tastes.

I’ve seen the same reliance on process with friends and acquaintances over the years. I have friends who will follow directions and rules religiously. It can be a challenge to be a passenger in their car if they’re driving with a GPS. That woman inside the GPS becomes the traffic deity to be followed regardless of what better judgment comes from the passenger seat. I’ve lost many a battle with that robot-voiced woman trying to provide a shorter route.

In the work world, we live among a glut of policies and procedures. Like my mother and some of my friends, we’ve become conditioned, maybe even addicted, to a reliance on process.

Process is good in the right place. We need to have rules and laws to keep society in line. The law against murder is a good example. I like that one. I wish more people followed it, in fact.

Stifling thought

But too much process can stifle creativity. Defined processes give managers a feeling like they’ve done their job and they give followers something to follow which gives them a warm and fuzzy feeling, not to mention a sense of accomplishment.

Over-defined processes turn normally-thinking people into good soldiers. “No need to take a risk, I’m just following procedure.”

If we removed procedures from much of our environment, people would be confused…for a while. We’ve conditioned them since kindergarten not to think for themselves so that they won’t know what to do.