How to Get Started Building Your Company Playbook
So, you’re there. You’re at that place where you’re ready to TAKE ACTION. Maybe you’re planning to hire some new people and you want to quickly and seamlessly onboard them. Maybe you’re frustrated that your top sales person is your ONLY top sales person. Maybe your problem is that you have the right processes but they’re just not happening consistently enough.
But whatever it is…you’re ready and now you’re wondering, “How do I get started?”
A high-level overview:
1. Select the top project to transform into a playbook
2. Select the SMEs needed to author content
3. Map the Process
4. Gather assets
5. Drive awareness and implement
Details:
1. Select the Top Project: This can sometimes be a challenge because you’re so close to it. I usually recommend we let PAIN or GAIN guide us here when consulting with clients on which Playbook to start building first. Main ideas: A. go where the dollars are (pain or gain) and success can be measured. B. pick just ONE and tackle it first. C. select one where you don’t have to INVENT the best practice – you already have it.
2. Select the SMEs: SME’s are Subject Matter Experts and they are the people who will help you make your process come to life. They already do the job well and have influence in your organization. Select people who can be great on camera and who are liked by the team. Otherwise, you’ll have training built by someone who isn’t popular or credible. No Bueno.
3. Map the Process: Let’s not make this into anything too crazy – list the “milestones” for the process (think chapters in a book) and then list what happens BEFORE that step, DURING and AFTER. Really. It can and should be that easy.
4. Gather Assets: This is how we make your process come to life. Gather up the tools (PPTs, scripts, example emails, How-To-Videos, checklists, and anything else) to make the process steps rich with knowledge and value. Remember some people learn by reading but not everyone does. Can you make it visual?
5. Drive Awareness and Implement: Don’t make the mistake of building your training Playbook and then forget to make everyone aware of it. Put equal effort into driving awareness and accountability or your content will be lost in the day-to-day. How? Send emails, hold a team meeting, do a contest, send a quiz, text everyone an alert. Just make sure you don’t fail to connect your effort to a company result that matters.
Getting started with your Company Playbook isn’t about knowing everything in your company is 100% ready first – that’s impossible. Just GET STARTED somewhere and make steady progress locking down areas in the company, one at a time, starting with the biggest pain or the biggest gain. Drive it home and enjoy knowing that you’ve just perfected and automated the training of one key area.