Are we supposed to care about policies and procedures?
The Audit Podcast with Trent Russell - Episode 18 (2020)
03:04 What I do and how I got started.
04:15 Get the details out your head.
05:11 Middle of the night “monkey brain”.
05:52 Example Scenario: considering company culture when documenting a process.
10:01 The importance of policies and procedures (clarification, efficiency, freedom).
12:12 Pros and cons of using video to capture policies and procedures.
15:50 Example Scenario: beware writing procedures simply to “check the box”.
18:47 Example Scenario: why you need to regularly review your processes.
22:07 Don’t wait to start capturing your processes.
Improving Your Documentation Skills
AP Now / Mary Schaeffer (2023)
00:55 Tips for documenting new technology.
01:40 Why we write documentation.
04:30 Tips for making the documentation process easier.
06:00 Tips for making your documentation user friendly.
07:31 Longer documents versus many shorter documents.
08:37 The benefits of using a template.
09:11 How I help businesses document their processes.
10:50 Why context and including the basics is important.
How Clear Processes Add Value
How to Sell a Business Podcast | Ed Mysogland (2022)
01:12 Clearly documented processes increase business value.
03:31 What I do and the challenges my clients face.
04:30 How clear processes help with employee transitions.
06:35 A definition of process and procedure.
08:30 How to document a process.
12:00 Who should document their processes.
15:20 How documenting processes reveals employee value.
16:08 Where to start when documenting processes.
18:54 The pros and cons of using video to document a process.
19:50 Using an iterative approach to document a process.
23:42 Reaping the benefits of clearly documented processes.
24:27 Example Scenario: process improvement through process transparency.
27:01 How documented processes reduce the sale transition time.
30:55 How documented processes reduce risk and increase business value.
32:30 Example scenario: when the employee and owner are out of sync, but don’t know it.
33:50 Example scenario: when the only person who knows the process, leaves the company.
36:30 Advice for business owners trying to document their processes.
39:10 When it’s a good time to start working with me.
40:55 Overcoming employee resistance to following a process.
42:33 Example scenario: resolving employee resistance to following a process.
46:40 The benefits of bringing in a consultant to help with the documenting processes.
47:45 My one best piece of advice when documenting your processes.
Corporate Skills to New Opportunities
A panel discussion with Marie Mills, Kelly Paxton, Lynn Larsen, Beth Carter.
AP Now | Mary Schaeffer (2023)
01:30 Bringing my corporate experience into my business.
05:53 The biggest challenge to starting my business.
11:48 Using technology in my business.
14:56 What services I offer and who my clients are.
17:35 Kelly gives a shout out to my work.
28:20 Networking and marketing my business.
38:15 Challenges and benefits of being a a female business owner.
45:12 My advice for others who want to start a business.
Marie Mills on Documentation
AP Now - Episode 65 | Mary Schaeffer (2020)
Expand to full screen to see the accompanying slides.
01:17 What I do and why documenting your processes is important.
03:54 Who should document their processes.
05:01 Documentation defined and what to document.
06:57 Example Scenario: capturing process details in real time.
08:23 Why documentation is so important.
09:39 Example Scenario: identifying process waste when receiving goods.
11:59 Common problems when documenting your processes.
13:18 How to create user-friendly processes.
16:19 Tips for making the process documentation process easier.
“I had the pleasure of working with Marie, and was genuinely impressed by her process for getting my processes out of my head so they could be repeated with consistency.”