Season’s Greetings
Wishing you and yours the Happiest of Holidays.
Granddaughter Adelynn (Aged 3) helping mom (daughter Hannah) make almond barked pretzels for the Christmas guests.
Business Process Stress Testing
When you set new performance goals, consider stress testing the business processes that deliver the goals.
Process Triaging is a good way do this testing.
The triage findings — all generated by your own experts, indicate the types and sizes of improvement proposals your team says it will take to meet your goals.
Process Triaging generates an improvement proposal to address a pain point that inhibits your, and your team’s goals.
Each improvement proposal is triaged to one of four solutions: ANALYZE if the likely cause is not obvious, DESIGN a best practice that addresses the pain, TRAIN (or learn) an existing best practice , and/or ENFORCE a best practice.
The first two — ANALYZE and DESIGN indicate a process design focus. Unless the process is designed better, additional cycles will just produce more — crap. The profile below shows a triage profile with 88% of the improvement work focused on analyzing pain points (36%) and designing best practices (52%). Almost half of the improvements Big Now project-size efforts — lots of stressful heavy lifting. This profile is common to start-ups or established companies who have big-gap growth objectives.
52% Small Now’s, 48% Big Now’s, 36% Analyze’s, 52% Design’s, 12% Train’s, No Enforces
At the other end of the scale, a triage profile with mostly TRAIN & ENFORCE existing best practices indicates the process doesn’t have significant design issues. The focus is mostly people and logistics — right people in right seats. The profile below is one of a franchise-quality shop. Most of the best practices are in place. The team’s stresses will be resource management — on-boarding new hires and focused process supervision.
This profile has 94% Train and/or Enforce Best Practices — entirely scalable.
When you reset your strategic objectives, consider ‘stress testing’ your core processes to manage everyone’s expectations and make sure you’re working on the enabling improvements first.
Here’s a deck of a dozen or so Process Triage Profiles
Contact us or reach out to one of our Certified Process Triage Facilitators for further information.
An OFFER to triage the 1st Amendment Peaceable Assembly Process – Travel Expenses Only – First 5 Requesting Jurisdictions
Long Post Notice
THE OFFER:
I offer my company’s Process Triaging Service to any Jurisdiction seeking to establish and sustain a best practice for hosting satisfying Constitutionally peaceable assemblies for all stakeholders in such events. The fee for this facilitated triage service is reimbursement of travel related expenses (refundable coach-class air, Marriott Courtyard-class lodging, rental car, etc.) for the first five (5) jurisdictions that request the triage workshop.
I need the jurisdictional Executive Sponsor to contact me at rosey@processtriage.com, first come, first served.
The offer consists of a facilitated a 1-Day Process Triage Workshop (Agenda HERE) for the requesting Jurisdiction Executive Sponsor. It requires the participation of the jurisdiction’s Go-To experts who know all the stakeholder tasks — what you have to actually DO to deliver a satisfying assembly.
My company has experience in triaging public sector core processes, such as the Medicaid Enrollment Process and the processes within a Department of Motor Vehicles. I don’t have many government executives in my contacts list or Linked-In network. Please forward this to any public sector executives you think would be interested. Thanks.
BACKGROUND
The violent protests related to the monuments that earlier generations mounted, and other ‘anti-Free Speech’ counter-protests have offended me in a purely violation-of-our-constitution manner. While I personally abhor the speech of some participants (such as white supremacists) the lack of enforcement of our constitutionally sacred right to peaceably assemble, by allowing blue-shirt thugs to violently counter-protest, disgusts me more. I was potty-trained as a junior officer in the Army Rangers to Lead the Way! I seek to lead a solution to this nonsense and not merely complain, sit on my arse, and cower before jack-booted, face-hiding, thug-enabling political correctness. Our Constitution is color blind and abhors identity politics! We are a nation of individuals, secured in our rights to Life, Liberty, and the (constitutionally legal) pursuit of happiness. And I’m friggin’ UNHAPPY!
THE TRIAGE WORKSHOP DELIVERABLE
- A Peaceable Assembly Process Map suitable for training, triaging, and continuous process improvement.
- A Prioritized List of bottoms-up, Go-To expert process improvement proposals that, if implemented, deliver the desired Constitutionally protected peaceable assembly within the jurisdiction.
- A ‘Peaceable Assembly Management Team” who are more situationally aware and each other and have each other’s back to ensure peaceable assemblies are consistently delivered.
- A case study for all triage participants to present to future teams to demonstrate the participant’s ability to lead world-class team-driven issue processing and continuous improvement.
WHO ARE WE AND WHY ARE WE QUALIFIED TO HELP?
ProcessTriage® (PT) is a consultancy focused on developing a team’s issue processing skills, primarily in teams who do an organization’s marketing, selling, fulfilling, and accounting (cash management) within its core process. The core process we seek to improve is the 1st Amendment Peaceable Assembly Process, from Assembly Desired, to Post-Assembly Results Reported. Based on the hysteria and violence related to recent protests (Constitutionally protected assemblies), there is a LOT of process pain!
PT is built around coaching the ProcessTriage® Protocol, a fast and effective procedure to treat a business process’s Pain Points. This issue processing is called triaging – to examine a pain point, verify its relevance, sort it to type of solution, size its level of effort, then assign its priority for completion.
I’ve personally led over 1,000 team triaging workshops, with experience in about every type of industry or organization that creates something someone else needs — commercial, non-profit, public and private sector, start-up to Fortune® 500.
OPTIONAL READING: MY WORKING NOTES I’M BRINGING TO THE TRIAGE
It all begins with a process. A process happens when a multitude of tasks are required to create something of value and these tasks require different and specialized skills – different people, tools, or technologies. A process requires a team to run competently and efficiently. The valuable thing we are constitutionally protected to possess is the Right to Peaceably Assemble:
Amendment 1: Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the Government for a redress of grievances.
The PEACEABLE ASSEMBLY PROCESS (Print this post and download the Case Study map below)
A Peaceable Assembly, at some size, frequency and location is complex enough to require a process – ask any event planner. For purposes of this case study, we’ll keep the process simple with two sub-processes: Assembly Planning and the Assembly Event Management from the Assembly Event Sponsor’s view (click on the picture below for PDF download).
The 1st Amendment Peaceable Assembly Process (Sponsor’s View) SELECT to DOWNLOAD PDF. Includes an explanation of the Action-Result Mapping Style and narrative walk-through.
UPDATE: A YouTube is now posted, providing my voice-over narrative.
Assembly Planning: The Jurisdiction Having Authority (JHA) has published Assembly Permit Requirements to plan and coordinate the resources for providing security, safety, and sanitation for the assembly. As this Constitutional Right allows for peaceable assembly, the JHA may request law enforcement presence to maintain the peace, including detaining individuals who demonstrate illegal conduct (which does not include speech).
The Sponsor (Action #10) determines the assembly’s scope, such as the date, time, number of participants, location, free speech theme, and media / marketing requirements. If the proposed assembly requires a permit (JHA published), the Sponsor requests a permit (Action #20). If a permit is not needed, the Sponsor publishes the assembly notice (Action #40). If a permit was required, the JHA evaluates the request (Action #30) and grants or denies the permit request according to the published assembly criteria. Participants will R.S.V.P. the Sponsor if desired (Action #50). Assembly Planning concludes when the Assembly Plan is completed by the Sponsor and JHA.
Assembly Event Management: On some date prior to the Assembly Event (sub-process start), the Sponsor stages the assembly event (Action #210), including sanitation facilities, stages, route guides, etc.). Law Enforcement stages safety and security measures if required (Action #220) and the media stages their resources if interested (Action #215).
The assembly is held (Action #230 after it is staged (Results #210, #215, #220 are complete). At the same time, if needed, Law Enforcement provides participant safety and security (enforces the Rule of Law), and, if interested, the Media observe the assembly. If a participant violates the 1st Amendment by acting in an illegally non-peaceful manner, Law Enforcement may detain the individual(s) and initiate an appropriate, due process rule-of-law process (Action #275).
After the assembly event is held the Sponsor completes post-assembly tasks (Action #240), such as site clean-up. Law Enforcement completes their post-event tasks (Action #250) and the Media publishes / broadcasts their coverage.
After Law Enforcement (if present) completes their safety and security tasks (Action #250) the Sponsor completes their assembly closure actions (Action #260) and reports the results (Action #270) as the choose.
The Process Capability Goal.
A Process Capability Goal is a statement of how well a process must perform, in measurable terms, that if sustained over many cycles (assembly events), meets our strategic objectives. In no particular order:
The Peaceable Assembly Sub-Process must be capable of:
- Submitting a permit request that meets JHA-satisfying criteria on the first submission, allowing for occasional cosmetic corrections.
- Evaluating, and granting or denying a permit request in a courteous, efficient, Sponsor-friendly manner.
- Effectively announcing the assembly notice to (1) invite potential participants and (2) make stakeholders and impacted individuals aware of inconveniences related to the assembly.
- Publishing an assembly plan that enables venue suppliers (e.g. sanitation), law enforcement, and the media to schedule appropriate resources to ensure all participants experience a peaceable, Constitutionally legal assembly.
The Assembly Event Management Sub-Process must be capable of:
- Ensuring the Constitutionally protected peaceable assembly is at all times peaceable, and restraining (minimum) or removing (maximum) non-peaceable participants.
- Delivering a satisfying participant experience within the enforcement of constitutionally protected peaceable behavior.
- Sufficient public safety, sanitation, and emergency medical support appropriate for the demographics and number of participants.
- Ensuring safe and efficient ingress to and egress from the assembly venue.
A Process Point of Pain is any recurring behavior or event that inhibits the process’s Capability Goal. A pain point is always a measurement (factual, measurable, empirical evidence) and not a resource constraint. We need to triage these pain points into sized and prioritized solutions.
The Role of Law Enforcement (Stakeholder)
Our Constitution prohibits the Government from abridging the freedom to assemble peaceably. A defense of and enforcement of this right obligates the Government to take whatever means necessary to secure this right, by use of deadly force if justified (worst case). Of course, any use of force is subject to the courts for review to insure its exercise was merited. This use of force shall not be directed at the peaceable, legally behaving participant.
The defense of this right of speech and peaceable assembly does not assert the Government agrees or disagrees with the content of such speech or assembly, however repugnant or virtuous it may be; it is enforcing the right to peaceable assembly and free speech only. The Government is not choosing sides.
We are a people who are governed by the Rule of Law, and we settle our political differences by debate, by vote, and by free election of representatives who, by majority, decide the Rules of our Law, always in harmony with our Constitution. It’s color blind. It’s identity-politics free. It’s the most masterful social contract in the history of civilization. And it works every time we enforce it.
The Role of the Press (Stakeholder)
The Press is a Participant in the peaceable assembly. Its presence and speech are equality protected. At the same time, the Press is obliged to maintain constitutionally protected peaceable behavior; to observe; to not participate or incite non-peaceable behavior.
All of us are smarter than any one of us. Seal Team 6
We’re better than this. Let’s fix it.
Recommending a great EOS® Compatible App — Traxion.io
People like us are running on the Entrepreneurial Operation System — EOS®.
Having watched my fellow business owners struggle with multiple spreadsheets and to-do lists, I have been looking into EOS® compatible apps, and am impressed with Traxion.io. I encourage you to check it out. The app includes the EOS 5 Foundational Tools and will help you elevate your organizational alignment, accountability, and awareness.
EOS® Implementer Chris White and I have collaborated with and shared a number of clients. He’s a top-tier implementer and has helped design this app — I’m using it myself. 
To get started, here is a code: PC003 that allows you to schedule a free demo and use Traxion free for 30 days. Click HERE learn more about Traxion and get started.
Product Announcement – Small Team Triage Kit – Download Version
By popular demand, we’ve made our Small Team Process Triage Kit available in a download version HERE
This 40 page workbook is designed as a 4-hour team builder exercise for small teams who do not need to craft a process map because they know (together) the process they’re triaging.
Small Team Process Triage Kit
The triage is lead by the team’s manager or appointed host. The kit includes everything needed to perform the triage including links to instructional videos.
The Process Triage Origin Story
I love to hear and read company origin stories. Founders enjoy telling them.
Bob Bender (my manager) and I knew we had something special when the first team to “triage” their process gobsmacked us. I can still fill the rush.
The very first triage map, a T-3 telecommunications circuit provisioning process. Virginia and Carol were two of the triagers. 1993
Hat tip to Virginia and Carol, who were there at the beginning. The “DS-3 (a.k.a. T-3*) Circuit Activation” Process. 33 days long, of which we had 23 days of responsibility in which there were only 91 minutes of uninterrupted work most favorable case.
I was asked to record Process Triage’s story so HERE (6:45) it is. What surprised me was how much it energized me, now eight years into my company’s journey, after about 15 years of learning it at Sprint Corporation (hat tip Bob, Anita, Cloene, Dennis, and George).
Was my hair ever that color really?
Enjoy,
Rosey
* A “DS3 or T–3″ carrier is a digital transmission that consists of 672 individual channels, each of which supports 64 Kbps using pulse code modulation (PCM) signals with time-division multiplexing (TDM). It was the largest dedicated circuit sold at that time.
People Like Us …. Build Continuously Better Teams
I owe whatever successes I’ve enjoyed to the men and women who stopped to teach me.
I cannot help but remember some of their pithy teaching points, like Teach your strengths and work on your weaknesses.
My weakness (among many) is marketing. Seth Godin’s Marketing Seminar is helping me with it. One of the teaching points is about focusing on who will be interested in what I’m interested in helping with — People Like Us.
So here’s my bullet point list, of who ProcessTriage® people are:
People like us build great teams, building members who…
- Get our core values.
- Leave whatever they touch better off.
- Fill every moment with stuff that matters.
- Know who does and needs what — workflow awareness.
- Are empathetic and hyper-accountable to each other and our customers.
- Are effective issue processors and solution triagers.
- Have each other’s and our customers’ backs.
- Are high-motor go-to professionals
- Teach their strengths and improve their weaknesses.
- Take stuff off their boss’s plate.
- Live deliberate lives.
- Bring solutions and welcome better ones.
- Add something to every person they touch.
People like us build great teams.
The Latest Data on Our Triaging Workshop Satisfactions.
We’ve known for some time why executives sponsor our team triaging workshop, succinctly listed by EOS® Implementer Jonathan Smith.
- The Core ‘Driveshaft’ Process is Unclear
- This process is too complex
- The process works inconsistently
- The process’s lack of clarity is creating chaos
- They need stakeholder buy-in and ownership to change it
- They are in a lot of pain
- They are frustrated and want help
We also know that the highest performing teams are hyper-accountable to each other. This accountability comes from extremely high situational awareness — they know their process and who’s doing and needing what to meet their responsibilities and expectations.
These participants are the sponsor’s own Go-To Experts, who live and breathe and sweat and laugh and scream and yell and do the actual work of the process they’ve triaged. They typically identify about 35 recurring process-related behaviors or events (not people issues) they want stopped. They triage — sort, not solve these pain points into about 15 to 25 proposed improvements. If they follow through and implement these proposals, the process improves toward its capability goal.
We close each ProcessTriage® Workshop with an anonymous Participant’s Survey. We ask them to score their satisfactions from 1-to-10, with 10 being the most satisfied. We want an average of 8 points or better. We summarize these findings with the triagers’ remarks in a sponsor’s report.
Here are three of the questions and their satisfaction scores from the last 50 workshops. The sample size is 455 participants (triagers).
So — if you want to improve your core process team’s situational awareness and member empathy and accountability, we welcome your call. Rosey @ 913-269-3410.
The Ultimate Thank You Note…
One of Process Triage’s core values is Elevate Someone, Somehow. Meaning, leave each person we interact with no worse for the moment, while seeking something to add to them and elevate their life. One does not condescendingly assume everyone lacks something only we can remedy. It simply means we actively, respectfully listen to them — deliberately think about them. What do they want and need? Have we seen someone like them before, where they are at? Have we helped someone like them? Can we help now — right now?
A couple of years ago I blogged about Jessi Ross at the Kansas Department of Motor Vehicles. PT had the privilege of triaging in the Department of Revenue with several process management teams, including the motor vehicles department’s Drivers’ License management office. Since Kansas, statewide, as very little mass transit, surviving and thriving in Kansas requires access to a vehicle — something city dwellers may not appreciate. One has to have a vehicle in Kansas, generally speaking. So it’s especially important work.
I received this amazing email from Jessi (shared with permission):
Good Morning friend,
I hope this email finds you well. [Snip] I have accepted and began a new adventure. I am working for American Association of Motor Vehicles Administrators! As I am sure you know, is the hub of all things DMV! I am blessed and thankful for this new opportunity. It is truly a dream come true. [Snip]
My official job title is Program Director for Driver License Compacts and Reciprocity. My primary focus will be the management of the compacts and agreements that each state uses for uniformity with citations, suspensions, etc. I will also manage the reciprocity agreements, both foreign and domestic.
I want to thank you Rosey. You believed in me from the beginning. I will never forget the conversation we had one day about my future. That conversation has helped me in so many ways.
If there is anything you need, please don’t hesitate to let me know.
Jessica Ross
Driver License Compacts & Reciprocity Program Director
Association of Motor Vehicle Administrators
What I was reminded by Jessi (and her DMV team) is wonderful, self-managed, hyper-accountable teams thrive in the public sector also. Stereotypes that paint public sector employees as less motivated or less caring about well designed and run business processes are unfair and, well — just ignorant. The more accurate assumption is these teams are busting their butts with out-of-date technology supported with IT infrastructure with significant technical debt.
There are many Jessi Ross’s in these thankless public sector offices.
A little encouragement can spark greatness.
What a Process Triage Workshop Delivers (Video)
HERE, in a few minutes of video of a live Process Triage Workshop, is my explanation of what the workshop is all about.
Enjoy!