Have patience and trust

...in the process, that is.

But that's often easier said than done when timelines are tight, the pressure is on, and the business' focus is on revenue.

After all, without a process, what is a project management? It becomes 'admin', that's what - and those who don't necessarily understand its value in a workflow start to see it as an unnecessary time-waster, the easiest thing to by-pass in order to just 'get the thing done'.

I totally understand that viewpoint, and have in my life of course been tempted to just crack on, despite the processes that may be in place. So what are my top tips for ensuring processes are followed, even by those who don't see themselves as project managers?

Simplify it

Look at your process with fresh eyes. What will others challenge in it? Is it logical? Are there duplicated steps, complex terminology, too many hoops to jump through? Simplify as much as you can in order to not lose sight of the objective - ensuring uniformity.

Make it easily available

We all know how frustrating it is to have to hunt for something. So don't fall into that trap! Create template drives, short-cuts, bookmarks - so there's no excuse for that process not being found in seconds.

Enable teams on it

New processes often require a level of change management. So don't just slip it into the normal day-to-day - make a big fuss of it. Explain its value, both to your internal teams and your customers. Teams love the chance to get together (ideally in person), so make a day of it, make it engaging and memorable - its more likely then to be something they'll be inclined to follow.

Be open to changing it

Each person in your team may have a different take on what you're suggesting. And just because you think it's great, don't be closed off to someone having a better idea! Be open about making adaptations and changes based on feedback; it's the smartest way to continuous improvement, and ensuring that teams feel heard.

Use it consistently

Practice what you preach, and demonstrate that the process works consistently for all projects. You're likely going to get much more push-back if you expect teams to follow Process 1 for Project Type A, and Process 2 for Project Type B...you get the drift. So make it as applicable as possible.

So there you have it. Some words of advice based on experience - hopefully helpful, and hopefully something you can use to get others to trust - and respect! - your process.