Over the years I've implemented many methods of keeping my work teams working efficiently, feeling empowered, forward-thinking, innovative, engaged, connected, focused, hard working and other such things that lead to a happier team, better work environment and ultimately a productive and effective unit; that's the absolute minimum any reasonable leader should be doing and I believe it applies to any workplace team and other teams such as sporting teams for instance...but there's so many other aspects that have to combine for ultimate success.
One area I feel is very often neglected is systems, processes and procedures; the things people do in the course of the job or task that keeps the cogs turning and the output flowing - they're too often a set and forget thing.
I'm very process and procedure driven meaning I have a high regard for standard operating procedures (SOP's) and know that they produce better results. Take the military for instance; there's some very set processes, things that happen one way and one way only, and deviation can have catastrophic effects. So, in my teams there's set processes and I expect them followed. Or the team is put up against a wall and shot.
However, contrary to that mindset and ethos, I've also promoted individual thinking, the ability to find new and better ways, look outside the box, to innovate, adapt and adjust to what is an ever-changing environment. Again, think about the battlefield where no plan survives intact once contact with the enemy occurs - one needs to be fluid, flexible and ready to pivot and do things that may not quite stay within the lines. The same can be said for business.
One of the ways I've done this in the past, and will be implementing soon in my organisation, is Fuck off Friday which sounds funny but is in fact a critical concept that allows a team to discover inefficiencies, redundancies, ineffectiveness, time-wasting and other such progress-inhibiting things. Here's how it works.
I task my teams to investigate the systems, processes and procedures that are carried out daily, weekly and monthly and pick them apart, question what, why, how, when and who, I guess one could say and to find a reason to Fuck it off.
That's it. Ok, not really; there's far more to it but this isn't a tutorial and you've probably already tuned out of this post as it is.
The team, or even an individual, gets a month between one Fuck off Friday and the next to run the process and I provide all the help they need including time, my support and that of others, resources, required research and data and often even external experts or consultants if required and then on Fuck off Friday we gather, have some snacks, coffee, beers or what ever is appropriate, and we fuck that thing off. (There's often a process to fucking it off which has to roll out but the celebration of fucking that thing off is done on the Friday.)
I'm simplifying it all here of course, there's really quite a lot to it most times, but sometimes we find things that happen "because that's how we've always done it," not because it's the best way and it's those things I'm looking for as much as the big ticket items. Whether one is on the battlefield or in business it's the one-percenters that can make a difference, especially when there's many of them compounding. It's those one-percenters that are also usually more easy to find and implement...as long as there's a focus on finding them.
My teams are often (usually) incredibly productive and if not then they work towards it, happily empowered, using innovative methods and with the ultimate goal in mind; those who don't aren't around very long - they seem to drift away due to their inability to rise to their full potential in teams that are accustomed to seeking optimal performance collectively and individually. Oh, and my teams are among the most rewarded because of their results which makes me happy.
So that's Fuck off Friday in a very basic format; there's a lot more to it and depending on the organisations in which I've implemented it the process takes a slightly different shape but on every occasion it's identified inefficiency, ineffectiveness and turned weaknesses into strengths in the systems and processes used. Another thing it's done is to make the individuals in the team feel included, like they have a voice that is heard and that their experience and input is valid and required...I like them feeling like that as much as they do.
Design and create your ideal life, tomorrow isn't promised - galenkp
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Got any jobs going? Sounds like something I could help with. :)
Nothing currently, maybe down the track. If any of the team don't tow the line though there'll
be slayingspossibly be openings. Lol.Slayings :D I like the sound of that. :)
I'm sure you have on retainer several prior engagements that can serve as alibis.
Indeed, my team has my back...mostly because they know I'm not against employing
slayingslife-changing motivational techniques like slayings.These sentences do nothing but make me smile. Very motivating.
See?
Slaying can be a powerful motivational technique.Words can be such motivational things.
I like this man! I think I might try to instigate similar in my team. It's worth it for the name alone but man, we do need to look at them rubbish processes or inefficiencies!
People tend to simply roll on with systems and processes rather than question them and I think that's limiting. It might be good to implement fuck off Friday...and if it doesn't work right just tell El Jefe to fuck off instead. It's still a win.
Aye they do. We have points that are in place that are frankly shite but no one ever takes the time to challenge them apart from me. I might set it up and steer others down my way of thinking 😃
It may work really well for you and help sharpen things up.
I think so. Sometimes it's just about formalising that time to look at shit and see how we are doing it
That's right...there's always (seemingly) something else to go on with and reviewing the as is position rarely happens. I think there's a lot of gold to be found, productivity and efficiency also, through investigating "the way it's always been done," and challenging it.
"I don't know why somebody put up this fence; guess I'll tear it down"
Is entirely the wrong mindset. Until you understand why it was erected in the first place you should leave it there. Fences cost resources and time, people don't build them without a good reason. Until you know that reason you're not qualified to know if the reason still justifies the fence.
(not suggesting you're doing that here, just reflecting on human nature in general).
Yeah, human nature indeed.
When I read the title, I thought to myself... ufff, what could have happened?
But as always, you surprised me 😅, General Galen.
I must say that anyone can give orders, but not everyone can lead. But You, mate , you are a true leader ,both inside and outside of Hive, not just for implementing the system but for sharing it with the community.
Following a system and improving that adherence ensures that tasks are completed satisfactorily almost all the time. I imagine that completing "Fuck Off Friday" took many years of continuous improvement and evolution, but you achieved your goal for your team.
Thanks for shearing, General 😅
I hadn't asked myself but your post got me thinking about how else I could apply a system in my daily life to keep "polishing the gears"
One must be surprising right?
Thanks for your kind words which I appreciate. I think not everyone on Hive agrees with you but that's ok, people will do their own thing and that's ok.
It's taken a lot of time (years) to develop my systems and methods and some have been borrowed and adapted and others devised myself. They've not always worked but those failures have led to successes and that's not a bad thing.
Fuck off Friday works in our personal lives as well. Imagine you determine a relationships you have to be unproductive, negative or toxic...Fuck it off. Maybe it's a thing you do personally, an action, thought or attitude. Find those things and...Fuck it off. It's those one-percenters that help you grow and progress towards better outcomes.
Long live fuck off Friday!
Didn't tune out of the post, read the whole thing with interest because it's a concept that I've always thought as valuable and that is rarely implemented. Congrats on having the openness to lead your team into a better way
Come on, not even a little bit? 😉
Thanks mate. All of my stuff isn't innovative, overly clever or groundbreaking...it's just stuff i thing all leader (managers) should be doing and so I do it. The sad reality is (as you say) it's not done. That's through laziness, hubris, carelessness or cluelessness and sometimes do to higher-ups not supporting such endeavours. It's always worked well for man reasons and when it doesn't it's usually identified other issues like the wrong people within the team, and that has benefits as well...and can be addressed.
Hi, Galen. I like the idea and the name you have chosen for that Friday. I believe that in all work, whether team or individual, of a plan and the practical implementation of that plan, which also requires flexibility. Taking stock of the positive and negative issues that bring us closer to or further away from our goal seems to me to be a positive thing. Doing it as a team seems to me a great idea, I understand that it is about team building and empowering team members, while improving standard procedures.
Happy Sunday.
I think it's a smart, and effective, way to find positive gains and also makes sure that the team and systems and procedures are keeping up with market forces and trends and the changing needs of customers whether external or inter-department.
I have nothing to add, except for a see you tomorrow and have a great Sunday.👋
This is the third post I read from you, updating me in your list of publications this week... And I can't help but feel satisfaction in reading you, because sincerely you are a very neat, knowledgeable and versatile person.
I also work with many, many standardized procedures and I know that if they are followed they guarantee more than 95% of the success of an activity, and I also agree that the leader of a team must have dynamic strategies to maintain the union and synchronization of all with a common goal...but above all things maintaining camaraderie favors productivity and good working environment.
👆🏼And this is an excellent strategy for that.
The leader of a project has to be more than anything else, a very observant, tactical and dynamic person, because he directly influences the mood of his subordinates and the prominence he gives to each one in the production process.
I am going to invite him to my center to give talks or lectures on the subject, I am sure that many will be interested.
You are super inspired this week...👏🏼👏🏼👏🏼👏🏼👏🏼👏🏼👏🏼
Thank you, nice compliments indeed.
As a leader, now and in the past, I feel responsible for the progress, development and success of the team and work hard to make those things occur. I've had a few people not feel good about it
and those people were taken out the back and shotand those people just drifted away and were never thought of again. You see, it's not just the leaders responsibility, the team need to buy into it and if they don't it's not going to work.See tomorrows post...it might change your mind. It's quite brutal, but is how I feel. 😊
Yes, we are clear that on both sides it is important to feel motivated to give 100%...it is like a law of mass attraction, the final product is the weight of all the parts.
Already with that trailer I will be in expectation....Mmmm...suspense is a good marketing strategy, and whatever the theme is, we know it will be very interesting.
Hopefully it will be a display of his good humor.
Hmm, I'm not sure it's going to very humorous to those who read it...but some may find it so.
I understand...I'll read it tomorrow.
Have a great weekend Galen,
why do people say Galen?
En mi idioma significa Doctor.
I have no idea why people say Galen, no idea at all, but I don't bother correcting them.
🤷🏼♀️
🌞🌞🌞
When I was a salary slave Friday was POETS day,
Piss
Off
Early
Tomorrow's
Saturday
Lol
Fuck yeah!
😂 😇 👍
Your SOP of the FOF is very different from what was known in 2016/17 on one of those social media sites I previously frequented.
GFY Fridays...
What a blast that was. Just a short rant and a hearty Go Fuck Yourselves video blurp.
But the Shitty Site decided to censor us when someone we ranted about cried like a little bitch...
We had one stretch where we competed for the shortest blurp. I won... Here is one I tied with at 6 seconds and then the won I won with at 5.
And You better believe it bro... Ol' Krazzy had some fun with those.
Haha, that's funny. Maybe a GFY Friday community is needed around here.
They would have to be sound bytes added to vids. Sometimes the funniest part was hearing the passion and vitriol in peoples voices. And of course the crazy accents would be a hoot. 😁
I did one about Cancer shortly after losing my little sister. It moved my Wifes Father to tears as we lost Kel's Mum. His Wife to Breast Cancer that Metastized and moved to lungs/liver.
I did not do it to hurt feelings and I was pretty angry and passionate about telling Cancer to Go & Fuck Itself...
I never thought about Him or any of Kelly's family seeing it. But the whole family praised me for it. It was surreal.
GFY Cancer Screenshot
Really enjoyed this post—it’s so real and full of valuable insights! As a Service Manager leading a team, I’ve picked up some great ideas here that I’m planning to use to boost efficiency and create a healthier environment for everyone. It’s rare to come across such an honest take on workplace dynamics and the importance of looking after yourself.
I also discovered the Reflections community thanks to this post, and I’m excited to explore it further. I’ll be sharing my own experiences there soon and hope to add to the conversations happening in this great space.
Thanks for sharing this—it’s the kind of content that makes you stop, think, and adjust your perspective. Looking forward to more posts like this! $pimp
Thank you, I think processes like this can work well in professional and personal aspects and are a really good way of finding improvements through making good systems better and changing or discarding redundant systems.
My brother runs the Reflections community and I'm a mod, so welcome. Hopefully you'll want to add something valuable down the track.
Cheers.
Following certain procedures and processes whatever the job guarantees good results, if we are not organised the objective will not be achieved. You are a straight and organised person and you teach your team to be so, as well as maintaining a pleasant working atmosphere. That is difficult to achieve, but you have been able to do it, and that makes the road easier. Good for you!
Being a leader brings with it the responsibility to harmonise everything.
It's more than just bringing harmony because a leader has a job to do,but keeping the team in a good headspace is certainly beneficial.
I totally agree, it works much better.
Documentation is one thing I have always struggled with. The person who was in my position before me almost went overboard with the documentation and it kind of got to the point that I probably purposely didn't do it as much. It's just recently that I have started to change that and get some plans and processes in place for upgrades and disaster recovery.
That's the way to do it; find what's not necessary, clunky or just ineffective and Fuck it off, or change it accordingly...it doesn't matter if it's Friday or not.
I will do more research on this, it is a very interesting topic, so I would be happy to read it.
Some things are based on trial and error. And it is precisely those errors that give you the best ideas. Thank you for this, because I had no idea about this system.
I seek continual improvement in myself and my teams when I lead so it makes sense to review systems and processes and make changes, or discard them, if they are not effective or are unnecessary.
This reminds me of a place I worked before where we would give new hires full access to the processes they would be working on from day 1 and see if they could break something.
The idea behind it was if your process can be broken by someone with very little knowledge of how it works, then the process is not good enough
The best way to find inefficiency in systems is through the people that use them.