When I moved into my Assistant Provost/Director role four years ago, I found myself transitioning from doing a lot of the work and projects to supporting and guiding others who do the work. This significant change in role is often not discussed openly, but rather something learned on the job.  As I talk with my staff about the end product of our work, I strive to help them grow and learn by talking about and reflecting with them on process.

My leadership team recently discussed our performance review cycle and how we benefit from what our staff write as they reflect on their year. While we are interested in the list of things they did in the past year, we get the most out of hearing them reflect on process, i.e. -  what they learned from the things they did. In a culture that values end products, it takes intentionality to let our staff know we value the process. 

Process is about the steps we take to do meaningful, impactful work. As I have connected with other campus leaders on this topic, it is evident that process plays a significant role in our workplace. 

Why is focusing on process in addition to deliverables important? 

There are many benefits to taking time to thoughtfully engage and focus on process. Being intentional means asking questions so everyone involved learns something that improves future results. 

There are also organizational benefits to focusing on process. “When we begin a new program or event, we have a starting place because we have a process — this helps it feel less overwhelming,” shares Tina Arthur from Orientation Services. 

Consistency is another benefit. “Consistent process means consistent deliverables,” says Angi McKie from the Pomerantz Career Center.  These are especially critical given the rapidly evolving changes to higher education.

Why is focusing on process challenging?

One of the biggest challenges to focusing on process is time.  “Good, process-oriented work takes time, patience, and critical thought, which can sometimes be counter-cultural to how our Western culture views work,” says Iris Peimann, a counseling psychology graduate student. 

The perception that focusing on process hinders efficiency is another challenge.  “There is a paradox between efficiency and quality in our workplace culture - engaging in meaningful processes can feel counter to the pressure of being more efficient,” shares Mirra Anson from the Office of the Executive Vice President and Provost.

How do we work towards being intentional with our process? 

• Acknowledge the challenge: This important first step has allowed me to see all the places in my work life where a focus on an outcome superseded a focus on process. Now that I am aware of it, I can be more intentional.
• Pause: Engage in conversation with participants about the process at the beginning of a project — what they bring to the table and what prior experience they have that informs the group. A strategic pause can also happen at any point during a project where you stop to ask a group or an individual about process. This provides you the opportunity to learn about how they think and solve problems. Sometimes it’s in answering a question that they have the chance to think about their process. We have the power to build this into our culture.
• Consider who is involved. Those of us in supervisory positions have a responsibility to take the time to teach this focus on process to others. Sustainable leadership is important to our institution, and we all benefit when we continually focus on the growth and development of those around us.
• Value it when it is present. When you are part of a group that is taking time to focus on process, acknowledge it while it’s happening. Professionals who are earlier in their career benefit from seeing this in action and understanding the importance.
• Know that it’s a skill we all can develop. If you realize you or your unit don’t take the time to focus on process, the good news is that it is a skill you can develop.

What can you do now to think more about this?

One of the best resources are the people around you. Take time to talk about this topic with colleagues in formal and informal ways. We all benefit from these conversations when we learn from one another.

We have excellent campus resources through Organizational Effectiveness.

Special thanks to folks who contributed to these ideas – Mirra Anson, Tina Arthur, Brenda Buzynski, Mackenzie Lechlitner Kirby, Jenny Maiers, Kate Mersch, Angi McKie.

Photo credit: Kelly Sikkema on Unsplash