Why Process Documentation Matters More Than You Think
When I was in college, I didn’t learn much about process efficiency. It just wasn’t a focus.
But I did learn something else that stuck with me.
While I was at Massachusetts Maritime Academy, I spent time aboard the TS Patriot State, our training ship. As cadets, we had to do real work, including changing out boiler fuel burners while underway.
It wasn’t simple work. It requires coordination, timing, and attention to detail. And like a lot of things back then, the process depended heavily on who was involved.
Looking back, one thing is clear.
It would have been a lot more efficient and a lot less stressful if we had a simple, shared process that everyone followed the same way every time.
That lesson didn’t fully click until later.
In the late 1990s, when I joined Caterpillar, I was introduced to process efficiency in a whole new way. I remember learning from Ben Graham and others that how you do something matters just as much as what you do.
And there was another lesson that showed up again and again.
We could not rely on a system to fix a broken process.
At Caterpillar, and later working with dealers, we had to spend the time getting the process right first. We had to understand the best way to do the work, document it, train it, and prove that it worked.
Only then did it make sense to bring in a system to support it.
If you skip that step, the system doesn’t solve the problem. It just makes a bad process run faster.
From there, I spent most of my career helping teams document, train, and follow better processes. And I kept seeing the same pattern.
When processes are clear, teams move faster.
When processes are followed, mistakes go down.
When processes are taught, people gain confidence.
But when processes live only in someone’s head, everything slows down.
Why Documentation Matters
If you want to grow, you need to be consistent. And consistency comes from documented processes.
Without documentation:
- Every person does things their own way
- Training takes longer
- Mistakes happen more often
- Growth becomes harder
With documentation:
- Work gets done the same way every time
- New people ramp up faster
- Leaders can step away without things breaking
- The business can scale
Keep It Simple. The 20/80 Rule
One mistake I see a lot is overcomplicating process documentation.
You don’t need a 50-page manual. You need clarity.
In EOS, we focus on the core processes that drive your business. This is where the 20/80 rule comes in.
Document the 20 percent of steps that drive 80 percent of your results.
At an entrepreneurial level, that usually means:
- A few key processes
- Clear, simple steps
- Easy to follow by anyone on the team
If it’s too complex, people won’t use it. And if people don’t use it, it doesn’t work.
How This Connects to EOS
In EOS, the Process Component is all about getting your “way” of doing things out of your head and into a system.
We call them your core processes. They are the handful of things your business must do well every time.
When those processes are:
- Documented
- Simple
- Followed by all
That’s when you start to see real traction.
Final Thought
I didn’t learn this in a classroom.
I learned it on a ship, in the field, and by working with teams who had to get it right.
If you want your business to grow without chaos, start with your processes.
Get them right first.
Then use systems to support them.
Keep them simple.
Teach them to your team.
And most importantly, follow them.
