The One About Standard Operating Procedures

Focus Club: Group Coaching Call

November 2017

Regarding Standard Operating Procedures

A standard operating procedure, or SOP, is a set of step-by-step instructions compiled by an organization to help workers carry out complex routine operations. SOPs aim to achieve efficiency, quality output, and uniformity of performance, while reducing miscommunication and failure to comply with industry regulations.

In short, SOPs help to carry out a task with greater effectiveness and success.

Operating Procedures (or we could also say Checklists) can be used in many areas.

When we think of SOPs it’s usually in the context of military, aviation, health care, and other large and complex industries.

But I recently asked my wife to create an SOP for our laundry so I could help with doing laundry on evenings and weekends when I had an chance.

Why are Checklists and SOPs helpful?

Reduce complexity
Improve efficiency
Increase chances of success
Create opportunities to delegate
Create opportunities to improve and optimize a procedure / process.
Helps to optimize for the starting line, and reduce any initial friction and procrastination
Removes dependencies (“that one person is the only one who knows XYZ”)
Increases margin: time, mental energy, and stress

Consider: what is the point in keeping information in your head and trying to manually — from memory — do something that could easily be automated and documented? This allows you to focus on other, more creative and problem-solving tasks. Also, documenting a process helps make sure you do it with more excellence and without missing critical steps.

Types of SOPs

Basically, anything that is done more than once or that is more than one step

Monthly budgeting transfers
Laundry
Oil Change
Email Newsletter
Podcast / Blog Post
Renewing SSL Certificate for a domain name
Finding and posting deals on apps and gear
Templates for types of emails (sales letters, etc.)

Anything that, when followed, leads to the desired outcome

Morning routine
Evening routine
Work “flow” routine
Meal plan
Reading plan
Workout routine (leg day, arm day, etc.)

Is it something that ONLY YOU can do?

If yes, then do it.

If not, then ask if it is something you LOVE to do and something you HAVE TIME to do?

If yes, then do it.
If not, then delegate and/or automate.

Don’t delegate your vision, values, relationships, or core message.

Don’t automate your art and your best work. But DO have a routine to help you get into the zone with consistency.

How to Create SOP

Document your process.

Take meticulous notes as you go.
Record yourself doing the task and talk through it.
Have someone observe you and document you as go.

Choose your SOP Format

Simple Steps
Hierarchical Steps
Flowchart

Consider audience

Who will be reading this? What will be the context? How can you ensure that your SOP will lead to their successful completion?

Example of what an in-depth, complex SOP should include

Purpose
Scope
Prerequisites
Responsibilities
Procedure
References
Definitions

In the moment, after completing a complex task or process, we often think “that was easy. I’ve got this down.” And so we do not create an operating procedure or checklist. But then, when we return, weeks or months later, we are fuzzy on the details again.

It takes 60 days for form a habit. Which means you would have to do the same procedure every day for two months to “get it down”. And even then, it would be confined only to your mind and would not take into account the times when you feel frustrated, stressed, or there are other external pressures happening.

A checklist instills a discipline of higher performance.
— Checklist Manifesto, p. 36

Consider also creating a checklist for unusual circumstances in order to aid in making the right choices and actions in the moment, rather than relying on instinct and emotion.

Windfall of income
Family emergency
Natural disaster

Q&A

Justin:

This is in the context of selling a course/ebook, but I suppose it applies to selling online in general. What are some of the most important and effective ways to build trust and credibility?

You create trust through time and through social proof. Continually providing value, being genuine and candid, and being relevant and valuable.

You can also shortcut a bit by if you can quickly establish authority via your resume and/or the endorsements of others who already have authority.

You establish authority by popularity, your resume (“as featured on”), or your proximity to someone who also has authority (i.e. an endorsement).
Consistency: by following through with your commitments, you show that you are consistent. And, also you’re able to build reciprocity (meaning, when someone gives something to us, we will feel an obligation to give them something back in return).
Relevancy: Can you define the problem better than they can? Can you speak to their specific circumstances and challenges?

Daniel:

You highlighted a podcast interview with Craig Mod in one of your recent email newsletters. I listened to the interview, and found it to be insightful and very interesting. I was intrigued by Craig’s description of meditation as a tool for defragging your mind. Do you have any thoughts and/or experience on using medication to help focus your mind? If so, would you mind sharing your experiences/practices with us?

Martial arts: we would meditate at the beginning of class. A chance to just clear out your mind. Forgive people who had wronged you; forgive yourself for ways you didn’t live up to your own standards.

Also have spent many years doing spiritual meditation.

Currently don’t have a daily meditation practice, but I sort of do an active meditation via my work out. When I run or do yoga, i’m not thinking about work or anything. I’m just focused on being present in the moment.

Try this… put all digital devices in another room and on silent. Then sit down, close your eyes, and just think about breathing.

The reason it helps to think about your breathing is because it gives you something to focus on, instead of work or email or the kids or whatever. Your brain wants to focus on something, and it takes a while to get comfortable with

I almost always would keep a pen and paper with me so that I could write down any and all thoughts / tasks / things that came to me. Get it out onto paper so I could then return to meditating.

But just lately I’ve been not doing that. And merely letting the thought go, knowing that if it’s important then it will return later. And I don’t need to optimize every little tiny area of my whole life. It’s okay to just let life keep on moving.

< h4>Nice work, !