How Smart Leaders Build Processes That Their Teams Actually Use

Read Time: 4 minutes.

I started coaching a new CEO last week. Where did he want to start?

"I’ve spent the last two years documenting every process. Nobody uses any of it."

I wasn't surprised.

Most organizations optimize for completeness instead of usefulness. What’s meant to be an amplifier for employees quickly devolves into an insurance policy for leaders.

But the best process documentation isn't comprehensive.

It’s the most signal with the least noise. Done well, its nearly invisible.

Here’s how to build your Minimum Viable Process.

Two Conflicting Truths

Truth #1: Writing things down clarifies fuzzy thinking and transmits knowledge effectively.

Truth #2: Written documentation creates false precision. People treat it as gospel instead of a GPS.

Both are true.
Design for both realities.

Assume Half Is Missing, Half Is Wrong

When reading any process document:

• Half the information is missing (exceptions, context, nuance)

• Half of what's there is probably outdated

This isn't a criticism. It's the reality of dynamic organizations.

Teach your team:

• Stay goal-oriented.

• Apply sound judgment.

The process is a guide, not a script.

Match Your Machine to the Operator

The level of documentation must match the person doing the work:

Experienced people: Principles and frameworks
Inexperienced people: Step-by-step instructions
Remote teams: Explicit checklists with screenshots

The test:

Can the average operator in that role achieve the goal based on what's here?

Start with "Why" Not "How"

Document purpose and principles before steps.

When conditions change, people can adapt if they understand intent. If they only know steps, they'll keep following them even when they stop making sense.

"We do this to ensure customer data stays secure" > "Click these seven buttons in this order"

Put Documentation Where Work Happens

If it can be built into the system, put it there:

• Code it into the interface

• Embed it in the tools people use

• Make it native to the workflow

For everything else, centralize in ONE place. Notion, SharePoint, whatever. Just pick one.

The tool isn’t as important as your commitment to using it.

Fragmented documentation creates unnecessary friction.

Show, Don't Just Tell

"Here's a great example" beats "Follow these 47 steps."

Better yet: Record a Loom video. Show them how you do it. Let them watch you think through decisions.

People connect better from watching than reading.
And videos are easier to create than written docs.

Win-win.

Optimize for Evolution, Not Perfection

Build processes that are easy to update, not comprehensive.

Version control matters more than completeness.
Make it simple to revise, add notes, or flag outdated sections.

The moment you treat documentation as "finished," it already out of date.

Assign an Owner (Not You)

Designate a “Directly Responsible Individual” for the process.

Their job: fight entropy and ensure it stays current.

If the CEO owns it, it becomes an orphan.
If nobody owns it, it becomes rot.

This person doesn’t have to do it all themselves.
They ensure it exists, stays updated, and remains relevant.

Align Incentives

Documentation adoption requires one of two things:

Solve their problem
Make central documentation more efficient than everyone doing it independently. Show how it saves time, reduces errors, prevents rework.

Create some pain
Penalties for not following critical processes.
Last resort, never the first move.

Prune Seasonally

Archive or delete what's no longer relevant.
Quarterly at a minimum.

Old documentation is worse than no documentation.
It creates confusion about what's current.

Make pruning a ritual:

• Review what exists.

• Kill what's dead.

• Update what's changed.

The Bottom Line

Process documentation isn't about comprehensive manuals. It's about giving people just enough structure to succeed.

Write it down to clarify thinking. Match detail to the operator. Start with why. Show examples. Make it easy to update. Assign an owner. Prune regularly.

Remember: You're documenting for adults, not children.

Give them the framework to make good decisions, not a script to follow blindly.

The goal isn't perfect documentation.

It's a system that evolves as fast as your business does.

What You Missed This Week

Our Sunday AM posts:

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📌 Are You Building Star Underperformers (Mar on LI)
📌 The Two-Minute Management Diagnostic (Dave on X)

And here are our most popular posts last week:

🔥 10 Bad Habits I Had to Unlearn to Lead (Mar on LI)
🔥 7 Silent Career Killers High-Performers Ignore (Dave on LI)
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Thank you for reading. Appreciate you!

Dave