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I started coaching a new CEO last week. Where did he want to start? |
"I've spent the last two years documenting every process. Nobody uses any of it." |
I wasn't surprised. |
Most organizations optimize for completeness instead of usefulness. What's meant to be an amplifier for employees quickly devolves into an insurance policy for leaders. |
But the best process documentation isn't comprehensive. |
It's the most signal with the least noise. Done well, its nearly invisible. |
Here's how to build your Minimum Viable Process. |
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Two Conflicting Truths |
Truth #1: Writing things down clarifies fuzzy thinking and transmits knowledge effectively. |
Truth #2: Written documentation creates false precision. People treat it as gospel instead of a GPS. |
Both are true.
Design for both realities. |
Assume Half Is Missing, Half Is Wrong |
When reading any process document: |
Half the information is missing (exceptions, context, nuance) Half of what's there is probably outdated
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This isn't a criticism. It's the reality of dynamic organizations. |
Teach your team: |
Stay goal-oriented. Apply sound judgment.
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The process is a guide, not a script. |
Match Your Machine to the Operator |
The level of documentation must match the person doing the work: |
Experienced people: Principles and frameworks
Inexperienced people: Step-by-step instructions
Remote teams: Explicit checklists with screenshots |
The test: |
Can the average operator in that role achieve the goal based on what's here? |
Start with "Why" Not "How" |
Document purpose and principles before steps. |
When conditions change, people can adapt if they understand intent. If they only know steps, they'll keep following them even when they stop making sense. |
"We do this to ensure customer data stays secure" > "Click these seven buttons in this order" |
| | | | New Free Workshops | We run a free Lightning Lesson every month. It's a great way to get to know us while getting management advice you can use right away. | | We hope to see you on December 16th for our last live session in 2025. |
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Put Documentation Where Work Happens |
If it can be built into the system, put it there: |
Code it into the interface Embed it in the tools people use Make it native to the workflow
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For everything else, centralize in ONE place. Notion, SharePoint, whatever. Just pick one. |
The tool isn't as important as your commitment to using it. |
Fragmented documentation creates unnecessary friction. |
Show, Don't Just Tell |
"Here's a great example" beats "Follow these 47 steps." |
Better yet: Record a Loom video. Show them how you do it. Let them watch you think through decisions. |
People connect better from watching than reading.
And videos are easier to create than written docs. |
Win-win. |
Optimize for Evolution, Not Perfection |
Build processes that are easy to update, not comprehensive. |
Version control matters more than completeness.
Make it simple to revise, add notes, or flag outdated sections. |
The moment you treat documentation as "finished," it already out of date. |
Assign an Owner (Not You) |
Designate a "Directly Responsible Individual" for the process. |
Their job: fight entropy and ensure it stays current. |
If the CEO owns it, it becomes an orphan.
If nobody owns it, it becomes rot. |
This person doesn't have to do it all themselves.
They ensure it exists, stays updated, and remains relevant. |
Align Incentives |
Documentation adoption requires one of two things: |
Solve their problem
Make central documentation more efficient than everyone doing it independently. Show how it saves time, reduces errors, prevents rework. |
Create some pain
Penalties for not following critical processes.
Last resort, never the first move. |
Prune Seasonally |
Archive or delete what's no longer relevant.
Quarterly at a minimum. |
Old documentation is worse than no documentation.
It creates confusion about what's current. |
Make pruning a ritual: |
Review what exists. Kill what's dead. Update what's changed.
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The Bottom Line |
Process documentation isn't about comprehensive manuals. It's about giving people just enough structure to succeed. |
Write it down to clarify thinking. Match detail to the operator. Start with why. Show examples. Make it easy to update. Assign an owner. Prune regularly. |
Remember: You're documenting for adults, not children. |
Give them the framework to make good decisions, not a script to follow blindly. |
The goal isn't perfect documentation. |
It's a system that evolves as fast as your business does. |
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What You Missed This Week |
Our Sunday AM posts: |
📌 13 Lessons To Unlock Your Career (Dave on LI)
📌 Are You Building Star Underperformers (Mar on LI)
📌 The Two-Minute Management Diagnostic (Dave on X) |
And here are our most popular posts last week:
🔥 10 Bad Habits I Had to Unlearn to Lead (Mar on LI)
🔥 7 Silent Career Killers High-Performers Ignore (Dave on LI)
🔥 Underrated Leadership hack: Repeat Yourself (Dave on X) |
Our goal is to build a community of 1 million thoughtful, curious leaders. |
You can help us by reposting anything that resonates with you. |
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Thank you for reading. Appreciate you! |
Dave |
| | | | Ways To Work With Us | MGMT Accelerator - Eight 90-minute sessions over four weeks plus 3 group coaching session starting February 18th 11:00 AM ET. Perfect for experienced leaders with 3-10 years of experience who want to refine their systems to deliver more impact and level up as a leader. | MGMT Fundamentals - Eight one hour sessions over two weeks starting January 17th 12:00 PM ET.. Perfect for managers with 0-3 years of experience who want to quickly build the skills and systems to lead their team effectively from Day 1. | Customized Leadership Programs - Bring our MGMT Accelerator or MGMT Fundamentals in-house for a tailored, intensive workshop. Ideal for 15+ leaders. | 1:1 Executive Coaching - My sweet spot is solving real problems to help leaders scale with a common sense Management OS. Growing companies with 50-500 employees. | Speaking - We're now booking keynotes for Spring of 2026. Hit reply on this note, and we can set up a time to discuss topics and pricing. | MGMT Playbook - If you're here because someone forwarded this email, please subscribe before you leave. | |
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