Compliance Will Crush You

Process and systems are tools that help smart, intelligent humans accomplish more in less time. Too often, well-meaning leaders place undue emphasis on compliance. The goal is not to comply with processes and procedures. It is to accomplish your mission in the most effective manner possible.

When we focus on compliance with rules, processes, and procedures, it is easy to lose sight of the bigger picture – our mission. Stop focusing on our mission and we’re dead in the water. The chain reaction brings innovation and adaptability to a halt. We stop thinking. To add insult to injury, we lose business and sometimes our best employees to more nimble and responsive organizations.

Effective processes and procedures should capture the steps that are most likely to help your team achieve its mission. They are communication tools or a road map that helps us seamlessly work together. They are a concise summary of all the corporate knowledge that has gone before us, but at the end of the day, they are not the goal.

As a leader, I would encourage you to stop focusing on compliance. Reward and revel in the team members who are thinking on their feet and pushing the envelope. Those who are passionately pursuing your mission. These are the kind of people who will take your organization to the next level.