So sorting out what is a system and how to build a system for your team to use effectively can be very challenging.
I first got into systems because I believed that it was the only effective way to accomplish a lot in a limited amount of time.
I'd read e-myth, work the system, systemology, and a bunch of project management books.
Bought courses on the same.
I was trying to work out how to get people (and myself) to easily run systems.
The books and the courses helped dial in aspects of the problems and the solutions.
But none of them made it simple.
I was still confused about what a system really was, let alone how to set them up in a way that worked.
You might have found yourself in a similar place.
I'm sick of trying to get my people to do the things they are meant to do.
"I know I'm meant to be using systems. But how do you do that again?"
And you might have even committed to...
"Right, this time I'm going to get this system thing sorted, once and for all".
A definition should help.
And so you head to Google:
"System"
noun: system; plural noun: systems; noun: the system
- a set of things working together as parts of a mechanism or an interconnecting network; a complex whole.
- a set of principles or procedures according to which something is done; an organized scheme or method.
- organized planning or behaviour; orderliness.
Ok great!
But... How do you put that into your business? With your team?
It's just not clear from these definitions.
So perhaps you jump in on another Google search or trusty old ChatGPT...
"How do I build systems in a business?"
You rapidly see repeating patterns of "documenting processes", "assigning team members", testing it out, and remembering to "refine and improve".
Maybe even some advice to "automate" whereever you can. (assuming you are getting the results you want!)
If you've been down this rabbit hole before, perhaps I can help out.
After a lot of work and struggling... Here's my simple take on "What is a system"?
A system is "work done in order to produce specific results".
Put simply...
Do this... Get that.
- Heart beats -> blood pumped around the body.
- Grind beans, heat milk, combine -> get coffee
- Write article, hit send -> article published.
- Choose topic, create title, create thumbnail, create script, record, edit, post -> video on YouTube.
Sure, it can get a lot more complex...
- Who's doing what?
- When's it due by?
- What templates do we use here?
- What's that awesome prompt for the AI again?
But this is a highly effective way to think "in systems".
And if you want to get a little more effective when running your team...
Add tracking of where the work and results are up to and who is working on them.
Do this and you and your team will be able to see clearly - what work is being done by who and where it s up to.
And the results that work is producing.
I like to put both the work to do and the results it produces on the "same page".
I call it a MagicBoard.
If you'd like to check out the MagicBoards design for yourself, then head to https://www.systemio.dev/get-magicboards-enterprise-template
