131 The One About Standard Operating Procedures
b'
131 The One About Standard Operating Procedures
Episode 131: Show Notes
Nation! Are you as excited as I am about Standard Operating Procedures (SOP\\u2019s). I\\u2019m guessing probably not. There was a time where I didn\\u2019t get very enthusiastic about them either, but they have changed my life. I promise, they did!\\xa0
SOP\\u2019s are the specific items that\\xa0have to\\xa0be completed in order to perform a particular task or duty. As a business owner, most of these procedures were in my head because I was the one that did them (at least in the beginning.)\\xa0 For a solo-preneur, there is no issue with having\\xa0all of\\xa0your procedures in your head; you are the only one performing the task. The problem comes when you want to scale or, in other words, hire somebody who will take over those tasks. And this was my issue.\\xa0\\xa0
When I first started hiring people to do the tasks that I needed help with, the only way they could get that needed procedural information was to ask me. If they forgot how to do the procedure, they had to ask me again. If they needed the clarify something about the process, once again, they would have to ask me. I didn\\u2019t have time to do my work because I was busy doing their work, or at least that was how I felt. The truth is I trained them that the only way they could get the information they needed was to get it from me. It wasn\\u2019t that I was doing their work for them; I didn\\u2019t provide them with the necessary tools so they could get questions answered without me. I had created a nightmare for myself because I didn\\u2019t know how to put tasks into a procedure. Once I learned how to do that, everyone was happier.\\xa0\\xa0
Today\\u2019s guest is Alicia Butler Pierre, a Jedi master at creating standard operating procedures. It was Alicia that helped me understand the problem I was creating by not having SOP\\u2019s. She shared a technique using notes cards that allowed me not only to start thinking about writing the SOP\\u2019s but made it very more comfortable to see, understand, and deliver to my team. She is going to share that same technique with you on today\\u2019s show.\\xa0\\xa0\\xa0\\xa0
If you own a business, you need SOP\\u2019s. If you work within a company, you need SOP\\u2019s. If you do a task repeatedly, you need SOP\\u2019s.\\xa0\\xa0\\xa0\\xa0
Please welcome Alicia Butler Pierre.\\xa0
More about\\xa0Alicia Butler Pierre\\xa0
Alicia Butler Pierre is the founder and CEO of Equilibria, Inc., a 14-year-old operations management firm specializing in business infrastructure for fast growing small businesses.\\xa0 Alicia has a B.S. in Chemical Engineering from Louisiana State University and an MBA from Tulane University.\\xa0 She\\u2019s also a certified Lean Six Sigma Black Belt and has authored business content generating over half a million combined views across various online platforms.\\xa0
Alicia hosts the weekly\\xa0Business Infrastructure: Curing Back Office Blues\\xa0podcast.\\xa0 She\\u2019s also the author of the Amazon bestseller,\\xa0Behind the Fa\\xe7ade: How to Structure Company Operations for Sustainable Success.\\xa0 Committed to doing the right things the right way, Alicia\'s mantra is "to leave it better than you found it."\\xa0
Links mentioned On This Episode:
Trace was recently feature on\\xa0the Business Infrastructure Podcast
Alicia Butler Pierre on LinkedIn
Alicia Butler Pierre on Twitter
Books:\\xa0\\xa0
'