Too many entrepreneurs get this backwards.
They dive headfirst into fixing processes, thinking a few more SOPs will solve their headaches. And sure, processes matter—but only if you have the right people first.
Because here’s the real problem: Most entrepreneurs try to solve people problems with process.
I made this mistake myself. I built an insanely detailed, 1,000-page SOP manual—covering every possible scenario—only to realize no one used it. It was obsolete before the ink dried.
Why? Because process never fixes the wrong people.
Right People, Right Seats—Then Process
Jim Collins got it right in Good to Great: Get the right people in the right seats first.
- Right person? Aligned with your core values and mission.
- Right seat? Competent, skilled, and capable of executing.
When you have a team that’s aligned with your values and purpose, they instinctively fill process gaps the way you would as a founder. They don’t need a 1,000-page manual because they already understand where you’re going.
Process should serve your vision—not the other way around.
People First, Process Second
Here’s how it works:
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- Your vision defines your company’s direction and long-term goals.
- Your missions (defined on your Next Level Accountability Chart®) clarify what each seat is responsible for.
- Your core values ensure the right people are in those seats.
- Only then do you refine process to support it all.
This allows you to build simpler, much more effective processes. When you’ve got a team full of Right People that are values and mission aligned, you don’t have to document every possible scenario—this is impossible anyway. You simply document the high-level processes that must be followed, and your Right People will have the latitude to personalize the inevitable in-between situations that they encounter. This leads to not only more effective processes, but more ownership of results and a higher level of employee engagement and retention.
Get this right, and process documentation stops feeling like a chore. Instead, it becomes an energizing tool that enhances performance and accelerates results.
At Next Level Growth, we help entrepreneurs stop the madness of over-processing their way out of people problems. Because when you start with who first, your business runs smoother, scales faster, and gives you back control.
Ready to get the right people in the right seats and finally scale without chaos?
Schedule a discovery call and start building your elite team today.
Next Steps
- Get your copy of the book you cannot afford to miss: Five Obsessions of Elite Organizations on Amazon/Audible.
- Click here to learn more about building an elite organization and the Five Obsessions of Elite Organizations.
- Have a conversation with our founders AI Clone about taking your business, and your life, to the next level
- Start a conversation with one of our Next Level Growth Business Guides about how we can help you achieve your vision for a bigger, bolder future.
