Document Everything

Documenting everything is a critical practice for building a scalable and consistent business. It involves creating a written record of all procedures, policies, and best practices.

The "Procedure Binder"

• A Living Document: Create a central repository, such as a "procedure binder," to store all documentation. This should be a living document that is regularly updated as procedures are improved.
• Training Manual: This binder becomes the training manual for new hires, allowing them to get up to speed quickly and consistently.
• Collective Intelligence: It captures the collective intelligence and learning curve of the entire organization.

What to Document

• Procedures: Step-by-step instructions for all key tasks.
• Policies: The rules and guidelines that govern the organization.
• Scripts: Standardized language for sales calls, customer service interactions, etc.
• Best Practices: The most effective and efficient ways of doing things.

The Mindset

• Think and Act Like a Big Company: Document everything as if you were going to hire 50 new people next week. This forces you to be clear and detailed.
• Leave Nothing to Imagination: Spell out every step and leave as little as possible to individual interpretation.

This practice is a key part of The 10 Steps to Implement Any New Policy and is essential for creating a business that can run without you.