A team can get so used to working around a broken process that the workaround becomes the process.

Everybody knows it is a mess. Everybody also knows who to message to keep things moving. Somehow, that counts as a system.

Here are five signs to look for, with a practical place to start.

Routine requests keep jumping the queue, and yesterday’s priority disappears without a decision. Start with one intake channel and a named person who can decide what gets displaced when something urgent arrives.

The task is “done” on one side, but the next person lacks the information to begin. Fix one frequent handoff: agree on what must arrive, who accepts it, and how missing information gets resolved.

Their reliability is covering a fragile process. Ask what only they know or can approve, then create a backup and test it on a real task. Another thank-you message will not reduce the dependency.

Everyone discussed the issue. Nobody knows who can move it forward. Name the decision owner before the next meeting and record the decision, next action, and due date afterward.

Teams routinely redo work because requirements or approvals appear late. Take one recent example and trace where the missing information should have entered. Repair that step before adding another final review.

What should you fix first? Look for the problem that happens often, costs the team real time, and is within your authority to change. Start there. If safety, customer harm, or a critical deadline is involved, that takes priority.

Choose one fix, give someone responsibility for it, and compare the next two weeks with the last two. Did fewer tasks stall? Did fewer requests need rescuing?

Which workaround has your team accidentally promoted to standard operating procedure?

Thanks for reading. I hope you’re leaving with at least one idea that makes the work in front of you feel a little clearer, simpler, or more manageable.

Until next time — less chaos, more clarity, better work.
— Shania