Written by Danielle Levy, Business Coach & Strategist
Danielle Levy is a sought-after business consultant who helps business owners expand with clarity and efficiency. Danielle is also the Founder and CEO of The Boardroom League™, a team of experts providing holistic business consulting and implementation services for entrepreneurs.
As a CEO, ensuring your business runs smoothly and grows consistently is crucial. That might be easier said than done. After all, managing various aspects of the business can be complicated and overwhelming. You certainly can’t do it all yourself, nor should you.
That’s why you must have efficient systems in place that are operated by a capable and productive team.
These systems are everywhere in your business. Whether it’s onboarding, customer service, sales, or product delivery, each is a system.
You can also think of them as processes—a series of steps, one after the other, that allow for a certain expected result.
And within your team, there are what’s known as process creators and process managers.
As the CEO or business owner, it is absolutely essential that you can identify the very distinct roles each of these plays and how to determine which team members are best suited for each.
Identifying these roles within your team will allow you to optimize your team and your business so that they run productively, allow for innovation and growth, and enjoy long-term success.
I’ll break it down for you.
Three key differences between process managers and creators
1. Visionary vs. executor
Process creators are visionaries. They see the big picture and understand how all the parts keep the whole running smoothly. They’re not necessarily involved in day-to-day operations but focused on overall efficiency. They thrive on acceptable risk-taking.
Process managers aren’t looking ahead. They’re the executors. They are all about details, thrive on structure and routine, and ensure the work gets done. They are less concerned about the business as a whole and instead have a narrower focus.
2. Strategic thinker vs. tactical implementor
Process creators are strategic problem solvers. They focus on the long-term vision and how to make it happen. They anticipate potential issues and thrive on problem-solving.
Process managers are tactical implementors. Their focus is on task accuracy. They thrive on protocol, details, and task accuracy to ensure the existing strategies are executed efficiently.
3. Innovation vs. optimization
Process creators are innovators. They continually think of improving and refining the business or its processes. They design processes aligned with the company’s values and goals while remaining competitive and growing. They thrive on uncertainty.
Process managers are focused on optimization. Rather than seeking how to do the process in a more efficient manner, they seek to ensure that the existing process is executed in the most optimal way possible. They thrive on certainty.
How to ensure the right people are in the right seats
Understanding the differences between process managers and creators is not enough. Once you do, it’s crucial to evaluate your team and determine whether the right people are in the right seats.
Here’s how to do that:
Evaluate your team: Assess your current team members. Look for traits like big-picture thinking, creative problem-solving, and innovation for process creators. For process managers, you’ll notice they’re detail-oriented, routine-driven individuals.
Conduct role assessments: Use tools like personality assessments, performance reviews, and one-on-one interviews to understand better where each team member excels. Get started with these assessments.
Reassign Rrles if necessary: If you identify a process creator in a managerial role, or vice versa, it might be best to reassign them to a position that better fits their strengths. Continue to monitor them periodically to make sure they remain effective in their roles.
So, what does this mean for the business and your bottom line?
It all comes down to optimizing your team and, therefore, your business.
Just as you would not expect an HR coordinator to step into the role of marketing manager, you cannot expect everyone on your team to be both a process creator and a process manager.
Confusing these two roles leads to inefficiencies. That’s code for hundreds if not thousands of hours of wasted or unproductive time.
What this looks like on your team is often one of two scenarios:
Scenario 1: You’ve missed the potential of a process creator. This person is on your team and speaks up in meetings with creative ideas, innovative thinking, and problem-solving. But their ideas may be overlooked because of their title within the organization or their seniority, and with time they may stop speaking up.
Scenario 2: You’ve misidentified a process manager. For whatever reason, maybe it’s their years of experience or their background, but you’re convinced someone is a process creator. However, you’ve also begun to notice resistance to change, their comfort zone is working within the existing processes, or a lack of future thinking and big-picture vision.
Understanding the two and correctly identifying the process creators and process managers within your team ultimately impacts their individual performance and the overall performance of the business, your sales, and your success.
It is, therefore, crucial that you understand with clarity who on your team is categorized into these roles.
Each has a unique and vital contribution, and recognizing their distinct functions will improve your business operation, allow for innovation and growth, and ultimately impact your bottom line.
Not sure if you have the process creators you need on your team? Schedule a discovery call to identify who, if anyone, on your team has or should have that role. If you don’t have a process creator, we can discuss what processes you need and how we can create them for you.
Danielle Levy, Business Coach & Strategist
Danielle Levy is a sought-after business consultant who helps business owners expand with clarity and efficiency. Danielle is also the Founder and CEO of The Boardroom League™, a team of experts providing holistic business consulting and implementation services for entrepreneurs. She holds an MBA, is certified as a Project Management Professional, and is a FG Certified Master Marketer.
Danielle has 15 years of agency experience, helping her bring a unique perspective to all of her clients. A problem solver at heart, she believes in helping business owners go from Chief of Everything Officer to Chief Executive Officer, so they can focus on their vision, instead of being distracted by day-to-day business obligations. By establishing solid business foundations and implementing streamlined systems, Danielle's clients are not only able to regain their freedom but also rediscover the joy of running their businesses.
In 2021, Danielle founded The Boardroom League™ to guide executives turned business owners through current challenges and future advancements by providing bespoke business consulting and implementation. The Boardroom League takes a phased approach to business consulting, offering expertise in a variety of areas; including business leadership, financial guidance, legal advisory, marketing, and more.
In her personal life, Danielle is an energetic mother of two boys, who understands the balance of being both a hockey Mom AND a successful entrepreneur.
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