As a Leader, you’re a bright idea person – always chasing new opportunities and trusting your instincts to fuel new innovations.
But you also know having consistent processes is important for actually making your ideas happen.
Trying to mix your free-spirited creativity with strict operational discipline can feel like walking a tightrope.
On one side, following every single rule perfectly can box you in and squash the fresh thinking that’s actually helping your business grow.
But having zero processes leads to chaos, mistakes, and dropping the ball.
The struggle is real when it comes to having processes without killing your famous spark and your business growth.
The solution?
Interactive Standard Operating Procedures (iSOPs™) – my modern way to blend structured processes with the ability to adapt to changes as they come up. You can learn more about them here.
But even with flexible iSOPs™, (which I can show you how to create) psychological hurdles can still trip you up and make it hard to stick to the processes.
So I want to share the 5 main psychological reasons why I see leaders struggle to follow processes, even having flexible iSOPs™.
I’ll also share powerful tricks to overcome these roadblocks so you get the best of both worlds – creativity AND operational excellence.
So let’s get into it.
I used to wonder why sticking to those carefully planned SOPs (standard operating procedures) felt like an uphill battle for my clients.
We’d create new workflows, document all the steps, train everyone and then move on.
I’d check back 90 days later and they’d gone back to their old ways of just throwing things at the wall hoping to generate sales, always feeling behind and never proactively leading their marketing.
So it got me thinking…
What if those SOPs could actually interact and change with them and their business needs?
That’s the idea behind iSOPs™ – interactive standard operating procedures.
iSOPs™ are SOPs designed to be ‘interactive’.
Instead of just a static document, they use systems and AI to further explain topics and ideas within the procedures.
For example, an iSOP for customer service could integrate an AI assistant to provide relevant info based on the situation.
This makes iSOPs™ more flexible and able to adapt as things change in your business.
The big benefit of interactive iSOPs™ is they combine structure with flexibility.
Traditional SOPs can feel too rigid, while no processes at all lead to mistakes and inconsistency.
But iSOPs™ give you clear procedures enhanced by smart tech to smoothly handle exceptions.
Having consistent, well-defined processes is super important for any business.
Without it, you risk errors, unhappy customers, and inefficiencies.
Companies that struggle because they lack process discipline rarely have what they need for scaling and growth.
So why is sticking to processes, even cool interactive ones like iSOPs™, still so tough for Leaders?
Mastering the process discipline game can transform these challenges into opportunities for growth and innovation.
Here are 5 psychological reasons.
The 5 Psychological Hurdles Blocking Process Discipline
- Distraction Overload: As the leader, you face endless notifications, decisions, interruptions – making it really hard to stay focused on procedures.
- Fear of Missing Out (FOMO): You may worry that following iSOPs™ too strictly means missing unexpected opportunities for new ideas. This makes rigid processes feel limiting.
- Overconfidence: The same confidence that helped you build a successful company can sometimes become overconfidence. You might start thinking your gut choices are better than defined iSOPs™.
- Perfectionism & Procrastination: With pressure to perform, perfectionists tend to procrastinate on daunting processes out of fear of not doing them perfectly.
- Lack of Clear Goals: Without specific goals driving your iSOPs™, it’s tough to stick to them. You lose sight of the bigger “why.”
Strategies to Safeguard Your Mojo and Master iSOP™ Discipline
Recognizing these psychological hurdles is step one to improving process discipline.
Step two is using tricks to overcome them.
For distraction, tactics like batching notifications, scheduling focus time, and even finding an accountability buddy can help.
To avoid FOMO paralysis, remember iSOPs™ are meant to be flexible guides – not rigid rules.
And developing a growth mindset replaces overconfidence with a desire to learn and improve.
For perfectionism and procrastination, break down big processes into smaller steps.
And most importantly – set clear, inspiring goals to make following iSOPs™ feel meaningful and motivating.
Implementing interactive iSOPs™ effectively is also key.
Get employee buy-in and make updating iSOPs™ a regular habit.
As processes evolve, review them often to ensure they still make sense.
As the experts say: “Discipline isn’t restrictive – it’s empowering.”
Interactive iSOPs™ give you structured processes balanced with the flexibility to adapt as needed.
So don’t avoid processes thinking they’ll kill your innovative spirit.
With the right strategies, disciplined iSOPs™ will fuel your creativity to new heights.
Reach out if you need any help getting started, this is one of my superpowers!