Out of Order - Why Your Priorities Fail Often

Priorities get missed when they lack a sense of order. If you come across a machine with a sign that reads; “Out of Order” it has been rendered unusable because the system has failed, or it cannot deliver what it was intended for.  One of the concepts that gives priority meaning is the idea of order. Without order there is no prioritization. The method of bringing order is efficiently solved by using systems. Systems are a set of processes, procedures and routines that work together to create an outcome and they are essential for running a business. 

In Genesis 1:2 we learn that: “the earth was formless and empty” and in the subsequent verses God starts to bring order through systems, cycles and processes; Night and day, tides, growth, reproduction and many more. The bible uses the analogy of a body to communicate how His people should work together. The body is another marvelous example of how systems work together to create life; through digestion, respiration, the central nervous system all carefully put into structure on a skeleton with muscles. God uses systems to bring order.  This is a key principle we can use in our businesses. If a goal or priority is not being met, look at the system that supports it and ask some honest questions? Is it scheduled, is it resourced, or does it need to be communicated more effectively?  

James Clear points out that having a priority does not guarantee it’s success.  The actions, processes and procedures that support it are what determines if it gets done: 

You do not rise to the level of your goals. You fall to the level of your systems.

James Clear

The Hard Work of Prioritizing - Creating Systems

An effective business is a combination of working systems. I think it was Michael Gerber who said, “Without systems you don't have a business - you are the business.” A system is a process that can be applied repeatedly with a result of establishing order, efficiency and accountability. It provides a means to measure success. The challenge that we can sometimes experience is being able to communicate the system to other people. If your system is in your head, it cannot be executed by someone else. 

“Write down what I show you. Write it clearly on a sign so that the message will be easy to read.”

Habbakuk 2:2 ERV

Once documented into procedures, these systems become easier to manage, improve and monitor. Your systems ensure that you are not wasting time every time you need to act and that you get a consistent result. Creating an organizational chart with departments is an example of a system. Each department will then have a playbook of systems. Bringing order to your business in this way will ensure that your priorities get met consistently, on time and effectively. 

Systems help us to move forward, to go as far as we possibly can. They enable us to work faster, smarter, and more strategically. A good system eliminates waste, while it also anticipates and removes obstacles. To get the most out of systems, you have to make them a lifestyle not a one-off deal. They must become ingrained in your routine.

John Maxwell

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