The Human Side of Process Excellence: How to Maintain People-Process Balance
“People don’t improve processes. Processes improve … when people believe in them.”
A question: why do even the most perfect processes often fail to deliver results?
A study by Gartner shows:
85% of process failures stem from people's (team) disengagement.
↳ Not technical flaws,
↳ Not design issues,
↳ But a pure human disconnect.
And when you crack this code, everything transforms.
The rule is simple: "When people lead change, change leads to excellence."
Let me show you how top transformation leaders make this work.
But first, a story.
I visited a manufacturing plant that had invested millions in lean transformation:
↳ State-of-the-art visual management boards
↳ Perfectly balanced workflow systems
↳ 5S implementation
↳ Advanced digital tracking tools
On paper, it sounded all perfect.
But, the reality was different. The team productivity dropped by a quarter.
Employee engagement was also at an all-time low.
And let’s not talk about process adherence, which was barely at half.
The reason was they “forgot” a fundamental truth:
People don't resist change.
↳ they resist being changed.
Let me share what actually works, based on transforming hundreds of operations:
The 3-layer engagement system you can start implementing today.
1. Start With the Why (But Really Mean it)
Don't begin with:
"Here's the new process"
"This is best practice"
"Corporate wants this"
Instead, start with:
"Here's how this makes your job easier"
"This solves your daily headaches"
"You'll spend less time firefighting"
2. Make Them True Process Owners
Excellence starts with engagement.
And organisations with high employee buy-in see 23% higher productivity.
Focus on three core elements:
• Voice: Let them speak first
• Choice: Give them options
• Ownership: Let them drive change
Stop “following” the old way:
• Corporate designs
• Managers implement
• Workers follow
• Results suffer
And start “following” the new, proven way:
• Let teams map their workflows
• Let operators suggest improvements
• Let a front-line make changes
• And let leaders support and guide
When they build it, they own it.
When they own it, they improve it.
When they improve it, it sticks.
3. Build Success Patterns That Last
Forget forcing changes.
Create improvements people actually want.
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For every process change, check if your approach:
• Solves real daily problems
• Makes work easier
• Gives clear benefits
• Shows quick results
For instance: "Cut frustrating paperwork," "Reduce daily interruptions," "Make handoffs smoother"
Start small (one area, one team)
Make it practical with 48-hour wins.
Show benefits in days, not months.
Let them teach others (peer-to-peer learning)
Scale what works (organic growth)
Before your next improvement step, do this:
1. Gather operators for a 30-minute session
2. Ask: "What's your biggest daily frustration?"
3. Let them design the solution
4. Provide resources and support
5. Step back and watch ownership soar
And, let your team drive the change
A process that excludes people, excludes success.
MIT research shows:
Teams that lead their own improvements
- Show 31% better results
- Have 47% higher engagement
- Sustain changes 2x longer
Here's the insight that matters:
Your team knows more than you think.
They see problems you don't.
Own The Journey Together
Things will go wrong. That's normal.
Make it safe to experiment, fail forward, learn openly, and share ideas freely.
Keep Building Momentum
For a top-performing team, review and adjust weekly.
Use this simple framework:
Mondays: Check impact
Wednesdays: Gather insights
Fridays: Adjust and improve
Ask these questions
• What's working for you?
• Where are you stuck?
• What support do you need?
Follow the 2-2-2 rule
• 2 minutes to share
• 2 minutes to solve
• 2 minutes to assign action
Remember:
Tools and techniques matter.
But people transform processes.
Not the other way around.
YOUR “TASK” THIS WEEK:
Find one process that's struggling
Ask the people doing the work
"How would you improve this?"
Then give them the power to do it
I'm curious:
How do you balance process and people?
What's your best engagement hack?
Share your experiences below 👇
#LeanSixSigma #PeopleFirst #ProcessImprovement #OperationalExcellence #Leadership