Systems for dummies–Part 1

One of the things that Paul and I have been working on the past months in preparation for Walls Down Church launching is systems. Now, if you’re a leader in an organization, you know what systems are and how important they are for success. If you’re like I was not long ago, you may be wondering, “What the heck are systems?”

Good news–you may not be calling what you do ’systems’, but you work systems every single day. The easiest definition of system I found is: the approach used to do something. It may be how you do your bills every month, the way you get things done around the house, the process and words you choose when your kids misbehave, or the way you organize your household.

Systems help us to get things done. They help us to be consistent. They also give us a base on which to grow. As a parent, if I face the same situation over and over, yet react in completely different ways each time, my kids would never know what to expect, would get frustrated, and would spend most of their time figuring out what was going to happen next! I would be wondering why nothing is working!

In an organization, without a system, everyone is left with no direction, time is wasted figuring and refiguring how to do everything each time, and each person is left to interpret each situation in their own way. Systems put everyone on the same page. They give a common framework on which all can then expand and grow. One of the keys to a successful system is to be intentional about creating a plan.

Creating a system requires knowing the vision (what you see down the line), setting a goal (a measurable benchmark how you’ve achieved), and then breaking it down into a step by step “road map” how to get there. Most of us can see a vision. We may even set some goals. It’s the details of how we’re going to accomplish those goals that tend to get a little fuzzy.

I want to share what I’ve learned about systems, because they work. I’m only qualified at this point to write this “Systems for dummies” series. I’m learning every day from reading about businesses, reading blogs (check out Nelson Searcy’s), reading books (check out Michael Gerber’s E-Myth series) and from talking with people who are doing it. You can also check out our progress on our Walls Down systems blog.