A lot of people hate the idea of playing by the rules, do you? I'm not one of those people. I see the benefit of having clear rules. It takes conflict

Do you know how to mess up your business systems? Sure you do. We all do. It goes something like this: Don't train your staff. Don't use the system consistently. Don't learn from mistakes. Don't

It's one thing to have a brilliantly designed system in your business, it's another using one. One key to having an effective system is ensuring that your team know how to

A regular debate in business is people versus systems. A common phrase, when developing a business system is 'don't we just need some great people?'. This is an alluring trap. If

I have been to many businesses where their SOPs (Standard Operating Procedures) aren't used properly. Their documents lie unused, gathering dust. Their contents, not reflective of either best practice nor current practice. Worse

"The standard you walk past is the standard you accept." Have you heard this quote before? It is a great one to bear in mind when you are walking around your business.

Many businesses I visit have a skills matrix. Very few of them are using them effectively when I first meet them. Do you have one in your business? What do you do

One of the interesting conversations I have with my clients is around being audit ready. Many people despise having audits, internal or external, but we can learn so much from them. So,

Why is it that so many people try to keep information in their heads? As I say to all my consulting clients: If it isn’t written down, then it doesn’t exist! This could

Housekeeping is one of those really un-sexy business activities, especially when it comes to systems. It means that you need to update all the records in your system so they are