Stop performing like a start-up in eternal chaos
Scenario: It’s day two of your new job at a company that’s been in operation for thirty years. The team you’ve joined performs a number of complex tasks involving communication with several other departments. Your trainer, who only has time to train you during lunch, tells you between bites of cold waffle fries, “Nothing’s in writing. It took me a year to figure out what I’ve figured out, but I’ll show you. I’m going on leave in 30 days, but don’t worry, you’ll figure it out. If you don’t, management will let you know.”
Unless an organization is in start-up mode, it’s unreasonable to expect new talent to welcome a trial-by-fire onboarding experience. At some point, every organization - large and small - has to stop performing like a start-up in eternal chaos and start performing as a mature organization with mature workflows, mature SOPs, and established continuous improvement efforts.
New talent needs a rucksack of training tools and opportunities, the least of which should include a review and explanation of documented workflows. Why?
Workflows provide an easy-to-digest visual of how work comes into a department or team, identifies the procedures associated with the workflow, and indicates connections to the work of other departments.
Workflows demonstrate to new talent how their work will contribute to the whole.
Workflows also demonstrate order, which is important during the first chaotic weeks of new employment.
Documented workflows are good for everyone. For the department or operations manager, workflows bring to light the reality of internal operations and move the organization toward maturity. And existing and new talent benefit when internal operations knowledge is democratized.
AI readiness begins with clarity on workflows, procedures, and training plans.
This blog was written and edited by a human!
© 2025 Lori K. Barbeau