Writing a process that you want to read 👩🏼‍🏫

If you've ever worked with a coach, inevitably they are going to ask you: "what is your process for _____?" To which you will immediately do one of two things:

1) ✅"Oh I have it written right here! At a high level, I do X,Y, & Z but I have it written down and can send it."

-or-

2) 🤷🏽‍♂️ You believe you are consistent in your approach and whether you have a process in your head or you don't at all, you start listing off all the things that you do. Any great coach will then start to press you about writing it down and asking critical business continuity questions that make feel a little less confident about your execution.

Here is the reality- You likely don't like to create processes and so when you finally do write it down, it might be helpful but... Will it really save the day should someone need to step in and do the job? If your answer is "yes", skip this blog. If you say "no", keep reading.

HERE'S WHY YOUR PROCESSES AREN'T BEING USED

They're boring. Thats right! Processes don't have to be boring.

They're boring because it just text on a page usually formatted by bullets, sub-bullets, no pictures, and you're lucky to get a link. In today's world, we all hate reading without BOLD TEXT, formatted tables ⚒️, extra spacing 🔎, pictures 📸, and, if we're lucky, we might get a video 🎥.

Task Description: Get 👏🏼 to 👏🏼 the 👏🏼 point 👏🏼.

Write exactly what the reader needs to know, nothing more, nothing less. Processes aren't blogs so the additional color is only needed or desired if it materially changes how you execute. If there are exceptions, note what causes exceptions as simply as possible and exactly what's adjusted.

Task Owner: Who is responsible? No excuses.

One role should own the task. If an additional team member needs to service as back-up if needed, notate accordingly. If multiple people own the roles, in a roles & responsibilities matrix, identify how and when an associate knows the task is theirs. This should align with automated tasks issuance.

Example: If several Client Service Associate (CSA) exists on the team, typically each CSA is assigned a list of clients in which they perform all tasks for that client.

Timing: When is the task to be completed?

The timing should allow the work to be done on time (with some buffer time) and align to the task deadline if you have chosen to automate a process through a workflow or automated task system. If there is a task that is due before an event in the future, this is typically notated using minus (-) or plus (+) number of days.

Resource: Link the documents you need...with the link showing the pathway to navigate.

Within the process, if you use a template (and hopefully you are) for client or team deliverables, put a hyperlink to the document associated with the task it is associated with. If you hyperlink text versus just showing the hyperlink, make sure the text references where the file is held. This way, if a link gets broken, it becomes a lot easier to find the referenced document.

Example Client Review Process Overview below (could be a workflow template)

Task Description (include photos and videos here)	Task Owner	Timing	Resource
Schedule the client review meeting by sending an email to the client with scheduling link	Client Service Associate	One Month Prior to Meeting (- 30 day)	Calendly.com Link & Client Meeting Request Email template
Complete pre-meeting goal & investments review. Complete meeting review packet.	Financial advisor/relationship manager	One Week Prior to Meeting (- 7 days)	MoneyGuide Pro & BlackDiamond Client Reporting Portal
Call to confirm appointment and agenda	Client Service Associate (Backup: Ops Manager)	Day Before Meeting (-1 day)	Client Confirmation Meeting Script
Client review meeting execution	Financial Advisor	Day of Meeting (0 Day)	Meeting Agenda, Review Packet, & MoneyGuide Pro
Record client meeting notes and submit next step task items in CRM	Notes- FA Tasks- Client Service Associate	3 days after meeting (+3 days)	CRM system & Task submission template

You need visuals.

Most processes must use the functionality of program or software so critical business steps need to be highlighted using a visual of what they're suppose to be looking at. Try using the snippet tool on Windows to grab the images you need as you are building out the process. If you're a new mac user like me, check out this video.

Consider making the process into a video. Your younger staff will thank you.

Record the entire process via video by using Zoom, WebEx, or any video messaging system. You can usually record yourself doing the task with screen share. If those don't work, try https://www.loom.com/.

Save the video somewhere on your cloud drives. Remember to title it the same as the written version of the same process.

Pro-tip: If you use a transcribe function on your video, it will cut down on you writing the process initially. Just copy that transcript and format it to your liking.

Regularly update your processes.

Every time a process changes, someone on the team must be responsible for making the process update. Usually I assign process updates to the genius that thought of the better way to execute something.

Additionally, review your processes annually. If they're not updated, they're useless. If they're not boring, short, to the point, and painless to digest, this shouldn't feel like a huge burden. In the month of December or January, tackle at least two a week and you will get through them in no time.

Here are a few critical areas of your business that financial advisors ABSOLUTELY NEED to have documented as a process.

• Client discovery process

• Client reviews

• Client financial plan creation

• Investment management process

• Investment client & product due diligence processes

• Wealth management offering roadmap execution

• Client service model execution

• CRM management & documentation requirements

A couple more things for another blog that you better be documenting:

• Team performance reviews

• Associate handbook and policies

• Job descriptions

• Compliance manual

• Firm policies & procedures

• Last- not least- your business plan (6 months or more planning)

HAPPY PROCESSING!