Building the Operating System: Leaders Design Tomorrow's Work (6.5)
We've covered a lot of ground in this series.
We've talked about building systems instead of dependencies. We've challenged where the supply chain actually begins. We've explored why structure creates speed, why vision often struggles to become execution, and how to diagnose an operation by learning to recognize signals instead of simply reacting to symptoms.
Now I'd like to shift the conversation.
If we've learned to see the operating system...
What responsibility comes next?
I think the answer is simple.
We design it.
Here's something I've observed over the years.
People rarely create operational chaos. More often, they inherit a system that was never designed to let them succeed. That's an important distinction. Sometimes people really are underperforming. Sometimes the KPIs aren't being met. Sometimes productivity is below expectations. Those things may all be true.
But before we conclude we have a people problem, we should probably ask a different question.
Did we give our people a system where success is actually possible?
Think about what happens when a process begins to break down. No one wakes up on Monday morning determined to make the operation harder. They simply do what needs to be done. Someone creates a spreadsheet because the system doesn't capture the information they need. Someone sends a text because waiting for an email takes too long. Someone stages product in an empty aisle because there isn't enough space where it belongs. Someone develops a shortcut because it's the only way to meet today's shipping deadline.
Every one of those decisions makes sense.
Until six months later.
Now the spreadsheet is required.
The shortcut is part of the training.
The temporary staging lane has become permanent.
The workaround has become the process.
That's how accidental operating systems are created.
I've said it before, and I believe it even more today.
Every operation is designed.
Some are designed intentionally. The rest are designed accidentally... one workaround at a time.
I think this is where our role as Operations Leaders changes. We're not simply responsible for managing today's work. We're responsible for designing tomorrow's work.
That means intentionally designing people, processes, and technology to achieve organizational goals in a repeatable, sustainable, high-quality way.
Notice I didn't say we design individual processes. We design an ecosystem.
Receiving affects replenishment.
Replenishment affects picking.
Picking affects packing.
Packing affects shipping.
Shipping affects the customer.
The connections between those operations matter just as much as the operations themselves. In fact, that's where I often find the greatest opportunities.
Between departments.
Between systems.
Between people.
Those "in-between" places are where shadow operations begin to appear. A spreadsheet bridges one system to another. A whiteboard replaces missing information. Someone's memory becomes the integration between two departments.
Those aren't process improvements. They're evidence that the system has adapted around a design problem.
The encouraging part is this…
Intentional design doesn't always require a complete overhaul. Sometimes it does. Most of the time it doesn't. Sometimes tomorrow's work is better because we eliminated one approval. Or one unnecessary touch. Or one confusing handoff.
Small design decisions, made consistently, have a way of changing the entire operation over time.
So where do you begin?
Here's a simple framework I've used for years.
Five Steps to Designing Tomorrow's Work
1. Define the Outcome
Start with the end in mind.
What are you trying to accomplish?
Not "work harder."
Not "improve productivity."
Be specific.
Ship every same-day order... the same day.
Achieve 99.8% inventory accuracy.
Produce 10,000 quality units.
If the destination isn't clear, the design never will be either.
2. Know the Inputs
Every operation responds to inputs.
Demand forecasts.
Inventory.
Staffing.
Equipment.
Supplier performance.
If those inputs aren't understood, you're designing in the dark.
Great operators know these numbers because they live with them every day.
3. Identify What You Control
Some things are outside your control.
Some things aren't.
Know the difference.
Control what you can.
Leverage what you cannot.
That mindset alone changes how leaders approach problems.
4. Observe the Work
Now...
Go to the floor.
Watch.
Listen.
Ask questions.
Look for extra touches.
Extra movement.
Unhealthy queues.
People waiting.
Product waiting.
Information waiting.
And ask one question over and over.
Why?
Not because you're looking for someone to blame.
Because you're trying to understand the design.
5. Listen to the Team
Finally...
Listen.
The people doing the work every day usually know where the friction is.
They know what slows them down.
They know which reports no one reads.
They know where the extra steps are.
More often than not...
They already have ideas for making the work better.
We just have to ask.
One Final Thought
I've come to believe that Operations Leaders aren't measured by how many problems they solve today. They're measured by how many problems they prevent tomorrow. That's the difference between managing an operation and building an operating system.
The next time you find yourself frustrated with a process, resist the temptation to immediately fix it. Start by asking yourself five questions.
What outcome are we trying to achieve?
What inputs drive the work?
What can we control?
What do I observe?
What is the team telling me?
You may discover the biggest opportunity isn't asking people to work harder. It's giving them a better system to work within.
Because people rarely create operational chaos.
More often...
They inherit it.
And as leaders, we have the opportunity to intentionally design something better.
