Episode #27 Policies, Processes and Procedures can save a business and even Lives !

Do you run your business by the “seat of your pants?”  Do you engage company policies, processes and procedures?  Do you know how these three concepts differ?  Join Rick and Brandon as they lift the veil off these seldom implemented small and mid-sized business necessities.  Learn the importance of these components in Rick’s story as a Mounted Volunteer Patrol serving in the Santa Monica Mountains with his wife Judy, as they responded to a life-threatening emergency.

 

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1. Draw flowchart of procedures
   1. This is the step by step process of doing a particular function
      1. Use flowcharting software
      2. Use a white board
   2. Ex: Handling of horses in a graphic display.
      1. Rectangular boxes for “Process” steps
      2. Diamonds for decisions
   3. For example, let’s say the process is each person controls their horse when applying first aid to a park visitor with water.
2. Tag the inefficiencies of your company in these procedures.
   1. Mark them with “X’s”
3. Work upwards from the tagged to the procedures to the overall process that relates to the procedure
   1. This is a higher level that does can relate to many procedures
   2. For example: The training of administering first aid while on horseback
      1. Then move to the policy and guidelines
         1. Do these procedures contradict the overall guidelines or policies?
         2. If they contradict the policy, then the process and procedures have to be changed
         3. For example: Each volunteer handling their own horse when administering first aid is hazardous to the safety of the MVP, the park visitor, and the horse.
         4. If the safety policy did not exist, then you should consider changing the policy to include safety.
         5. Look at your strategic plan if you are changing the policy.
            1. How does the change affect your overall strategic plan?
            2. Is it in sync with your strategic vision?
         6. If you changed your policy, then reverse the direction and work back down to the process.
            1. For example: The training would have to include how to handle the horses in emergency situations.
         7. Then work back down to the procedures when addressing a heat emergency
            1. Work your new process into the overall procedures of first aid service
            2. For Example: Part of the steps of assisting a heat-related visitor is for one MVP to hold the horses, or to tie them to a tree.