In the first session we’ll introduce you to the Work the System Methodology and discuss the importance of adopting a “systems mindset.” We’ll discuss this new way of thinking until the mindset comes naturally and unforced so you can see reality more accurately.

We’ll discuss:

• What the Work the System Methodology really is, and “the systems mindset” that accompanies it.
• Why it’s important to see the world from a totally new vantage point, one that is “outside and slightly elevated.”
• Some misconceptions about “control” and why control is actually healthy and positive.
• How you have an emotional and a mechanical aspect. Get the mechanical part straightened out first, and the emotional part will fall into line afterward.
• The Work the System Formula: 10% extra work for 120 days, equals 80% less work for a lifetime.

In this session you will use our proven template to craft your Strategic Objective (SO). Your SO is your single most important document. It establishes the direction of your business and overall strategy. I’ll show you how to create a SO that will help you clarify:

• What your business is (or aspires to be) the best at so you can focus on becoming that.
• The direction your business is headed so everyone is on the same page.
• Your unique selling proposition and what your competitive advantages are.
• Precisely what your service or product is and does for your clients.
• What you won’t do (your SO will keep you focused, so all your energy in the business is focused in one direction).

The SO is not a mission statement (which is usually a waste of time). Instead, this single-page document will determine your whole business: the money it grinds out, the employees you have, the clients you serve. Everything. It will be your “guidebook” and is essential for any successful business.

In this session I will help you refine the Strategic Objective you’ve crafted and answer any questions that may have come up as you produced this vital business document.

I’ll walk you through:

• How to refine your Strategic Objective so it’s perfect (Not everything needs to be perfect, but this one does!).
• The best way to unveil your Strategic Objective to your team so it’s well-received.
• How to ensure this “sticks” and doesn’t get forgotten like a Mission Statement.
• The key to making your Strategic Objective memorable so your team knows it by heart.
• How your team will use your Strategic Objective so they think like you (the owner).

We’ll also go over examples of Strategic Objectives others have made so you can get ideas on how to tweak yours so it’s perfect.

Time is your most valuable, non-renewable resource. When managed well you feel there’s always enough time to get the important things done. But when mismanaged, you’ll always feel like you’re behind.

So in this session you’ll acquire the practical skills that will help you make more time so you can get this program done and finally systematize your business.

In this session you’ll walk away with:

• Thought-tools that will empower you to stop thinking like a victim who constantly gets sucked into other people’s agendas and start thinking (and acting) like a CEO.
• 3 powerful techniques that will allow you to build more time into your schedule.
• A simple spreadsheet tool to help you better allocate and prioritize your time.
• A solid understanding of your Biological Prime Time so you can spend time in your most energized state, doing the most important things.

Most problems in your business likely stem from poor communication, which in turn stems from a failure to create some fundamental ground rules about how decisions in your business should be made. You may expect your team to act a certain way, because that’s what you would do, but unless you translate your thoughts into concrete principles, it’s unfair to expect that.

During this session I’ll walk you through the process of creating your General Operating Principles so you can:

• Empower your staff to make decisions according to the principles you have established without having to check with you every time.
• Establish everyday protocol within your business (i.e. the way in which you and your staff operate in order to maximize efficiency).
• Feel a sense of clarity and order about your business, knowing there will finally be congruency between “thought” and “action.”

Here’s where we’ll show you how to implement the Operating Principles you created in the last session. We’ll walk through specific examples from actual companies so you can see how this document works in the real world.

I’ll show you how to:

• Get the most mileage out of each Operating Principle you create.
• Use proven techniques to help leverage your principles.
• Get your team involved so that they “own” these principles too.
• Convey the “Spirit of the Principles” so you’re not stuck just enforcing the “Letter of the Law.”

Working Procedures (WPs) are the third critical document in the Work the System Methodology. This session is all about “how” to assemble them. You’ll discover it’s not just about writing what you do, but about ironing out the inefficiencies as you go through the process.

You’ll discover:

• The proper way to write a Working Procedure so that you can give it to someone “off the street” and watch them execute it successfully with minimal training.
• How Sam reduced TSR training time at his company, Centratel, from 6 months to 2 days by documenting exactly what new staff members need to do to perform each task.
• How to discover micro innovations in every aspect of your business operation.
• Why organic systems (undocumented ones) will fluctuate in execution, while mechanical systems (documented ones) will remain solid and unchanging.
• The best place to start documenting your systems/procedures (hint: start with the processes you already do now, then tweak them to produce the exact results you want).

After working with over 700 business owners, CEOs and entrepreneurs I’ve learned a valuable lesson: leadership matters! As I’ve worked directly with so many business owners to help them implement the WTS methodology, I’ve observed some common habits, skill-sets and techniques of strong leaders and distilled those observations into a few simple but powerful insights.

In this session I’ll show you:

• 6 real-world lessons from companies that struggled to implement the Work the System Methodology due to poor leadership.
• How to find opportunities to have major wins along the way so you can create positive forward momentum within your team.
• The critical problems that can derail you from turning your business into a well-oiled machine.
• The habits of highly effective leaders who were able to implement the Work the System Methodology in their companies.

In this session we’ll talk about the best technology and tools to help you implement and manage the Work the System Methodology in your business. Instead of wasting hours researching and testing tools and technology on your own I’ll show you what works best (remember I’ve done this for hundreds of businesses).

You’ll be trained on:

• How Electronic Voicemail can save you at least 2 hours a week in email time (and the apps we use and recommend).
• How to speed up writing your procedures with system documentation software.
• The best way to conduct screen share meetings with clients and team members.
• How to document a “non-written” procedure (e.g. video, visual, audio).

The Work the System mindset can, and should, be applied to every facet of your business, including sales and marketing. In this session I’ll show you how to design effective systems that will facilitate healthy and sustainable growth for your business.

This is where we will:

• Dissect your current sales and marketing funnel so we can properly diagnose any problems. Walk through a process that will allow you to build repeatable sales and marketing systems in your business.
• Show you how to look at your business growth problems through the Work the System lens to see which elements may be missing, causing you to lose out on increased revenue.

You will be using the Work the System framework to hire, train and manage your staff. In this session I’ll show you how to create effective People Systems so you can start:

• Applying the Work the System methodology in your business right away, creating a calm, serene place to work (a less chaotic and more peaceful environment).
• Avoiding making hiring mistakes so you don’t disrupt the chemistry you’ll be working so hard to build with your team.
• Advancing rapid and continued innovation so your staff doesn’t get bored (remember, “stagnation” is your enemy in business).
• Creating systems for hiring and training so you can reduce the amount of time (and cost) spent in training, while improving the quality.

There are two root problems in a business. The first is not being clear about desired outcomes and the second is poor communication. In this session you’ll find out how to once and for all solve your communication problems.

It’s in this session where you will:

• Develop effective communication guidelines, techniques and protocols so you can communicate clearly and efficiently.
• Understand why you shouldn’t underestimate the spoken word as a communication tool (and how to avoid using email all the time).
• Be given tips on how to make your communication more potent (whether in email, voicemail, video, or in person). 
• Get strategies that will allow you to reduce the quantity and duration of meetings so you can stop wasting valuable company time in unnecessary meetings.

The Work the System Method will not just provide immense value to you as a business owner, but it will also improve the experience your clients have. Starbucks is a great example of this. You can see that both employees and customers are happy. Everybody wins!

In this session we’ll focus on designing the best possible experience for your customers.

I’ll show you how to:

• Deliver and control your product offering with excellence.
• Document everything that happens after the sale so your fulfillment phase is truly top-notch.
• Get the most margin out of your fulfillment processes using systems and processes.
• Install Customer Value Optimization techniques, so you can provide as much value as possible.

Up to this point most of what you’ll have learned has had to do with recurring processes (systems which contain repeating 1, 2, 3 linear steps). But what about all the other “stuff” that comes your way? In this session you’ll learn how to effectively manage everything that happens on a day-to-day basis, including those processes that can’t be shoehorned into any of your working procedures.

In this session you will be trained on:

• How to create a simple task management system so you avoid over-thinking and over-engineering this part of your life like most people do.
• The key points and lessons from David Allen’s Getting Things Done framework for task management and how to integrate that with the Work the System Method.
• The best way to manage your time, tasks, and projects so you can get things done quickly, efficiently and effectively.

Peter Drucker said, “You can’t manage what you can’t measure.” So if you want to manage your systems properly you must find a way to measure the results. This will also allow you to make incremental improvements as time goes on.

In this session I’ll show you how to:

• Install measurement systems and scoreboards in your business.
• Set up a proper sales and marketing scoreboard so you can keep your “eye on the ball.”
• Make sure you have “leading indicators” that tell you the health of your business, your systems, and your financials.
• Set up measurement systems and reports so you know what’s going on with your business without having to be present 24/7.

The same principles you will have learned for business systems hold true for your personal systems too. In this session we’ll talk about how to apply the Work the System Method to your health, relationships and anything else you do.

In this part of the program you will:

• Create a Personal Strategic Objective to iron out the inconsistencies in your life: A kind of simple life plan.
• Find out how to use WTS techniques to help you improve your health, sleep, family, and overall personal life.
• Focus on creating new positive habits in your personal life.
• See how the Work the System method can help you improve your personal finances (budgeting, saving, paying bills on time, etc.).

Far before you approach the end of your 4-month training, you’ll notice big improvements in your business and life. However, we want to make sure you experience sustainable improvements over the long haul, and this is done through installing and managing Maintenance Systems.

In this final session I’ll show you:

• How to maintain your systems for the long haul so they don’t dry up, die out or go away.
• Why your systems will get more potent (not less) with time. You want your systems to be like fine wine that improves with age!
• Specific ideas on how to setup Maintenance Systems to ensure your long-term success.
• How to create self-sustaining Maintenance Systems that don’t require much time or effort to manage.