In a recent poll I posed a simple yet thought-provoking question:
“_________ the process?”
The two choices were “Judge” and “Trust.” Out of all participants, 63% chose “Judge,” while 38% chose “Trust.” The results highlight an interesting balance in how we approach processes.
In the context of Business Process Management (BPM), this discussion takes on even greater significance. BPM involves designing, analyzing, optimizing, and automating business workflows to improve efficiency, accountability, and effectiveness. Organizations must decide whether to trust the process — allowing it to function as designed — or judge the process, continuously refining and improving it.
The Case for Trusting the Process 🤝
Within Business Process Management, trusting the process means adhering to established workflows, methodologies, and best practices that have been carefully designed and implemented. Companies invest significant time and resources in structuring their processes to ensure consistency, reliability, and scalability. Trusting the process allows employees and leaders to focus on execution rather than constant micromanagement.
Why Trust the Process?
- Resilience in Uncertainty 💡 — In dynamic business environments, trusting the process ensures stability amidst change and fosters confidence in established workflows.
- Long-Term Growth 📈 — Process adherence enables businesses to build sustainable, scalable models that can handle growth and expansion.
- Operational Efficiency 🔄 — By trusting well-defined processes, organizations can reduce redundancy, improve consistency, and enhance team collaboration.
The Case for Judging the Process ⚖️
While trusting the process is essential, businesses cannot afford to rely on outdated or inefficient workflows. Judging the process means consistently evaluating its effectiveness, identifying inefficiencies, and implementing improvements to stay competitive. BPM is built on the foundation of continuous process improvement (CPI), ensuring that workflows evolve in response to new challenges, technologies, and market demands.
Why Judge the Process?
- Accountability 📋 — Regularly assessing processes ensures alignment with organizational goals and compliance requirements.
- Optimization 📊 — Evaluating key performance indicators (KPIs) helps businesses refine processes for better efficiency, cost reduction, and resource allocation.
- Adaptability 🔄 — Market conditions, customer needs, and technology trends change rapidly, requiring businesses to iterate and improve processes continually.
As Anna Gernat, Product Manager at Neit Consulting, aptly puts it, trust “very much depends on how whole change management is handled and how trustworthy the stakeholders are.” She then added “If you are implementing something brand new without any experience, we usually judge. You get the trust by bringing the results and being transparent.” This highlights the importance of building credibility in the process through performance and open communication.
This brings us to the solution.
A Balanced Approach: Trust & Judge ⚖️ + 🤝
For effective Business Process Management, organizations must balance trust and judgment by fostering a culture of structured execution and continuous improvement. The most successful businesses integrate automation, data analytics, and stakeholder feedback to ensure that processes remain both reliable and adaptable.
Terri Blakey, Product & Program Manager at American Express, emphasizes this principle by simply stating “trust but verify/validate.” This approach ensures that while trust is essential, validation mechanisms must be in place to maintain accountability and effectiveness.
So how do we do that?
- Start with Trust ⏳ — Implement business processes with confidence, ensuring employees and teams adhere to best practices without premature interference. This builds operational discipline and consistency.
- Regularly Evaluate 📊 — Establish a structured BPM framework with periodic performance reviews, process audits, and compliance checks to measure effectiveness.
- Gather Feedback 🗣️ — Engage with employees, customers, and stakeholders to identify bottlenecks and areas for improvement. Leveraging real-time data and feedback loops enhances decision-making.
- Balance Objectivity & Patience ⚖️ — Avoid overhauling systems too quickly based on isolated issues. Use process mining tools and analytics to make informed adjustments.
- Adjust When Needed 🔄 — Be agile and make data-driven process improvements when inefficiencies arise. Leverage automation and other digital transformation methods to optimize workflows.
- Develop a Learning Culture 📚 — Promote a Kaizen mindset (continuous improvement) to encourage innovation, learning, and long-term business success.
What have we learned?
In Business Process Management, the decision to trust or judge the process is not binary — it is a continuous cycle of execution, evaluation, and enhancement. Trusting the process provides stability and efficiency, while judging the process fosters innovation and improvement. Organizations that embrace a balanced approach to both perspectives will position themselves for long-term success, adaptability, and operational excellence. 🎯
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Until next time — Keep Transforming 💡