UNDERSTAND THE PROCESS AND NOT THE END PRODUCT

UNDERSTAND THE PROCESS AND NOT THE END PRODUCT

As I write the piece, I remember what my software testing teacher used to ask us before he starts every class.

 How would say to us: Can you get clean water out of a dirty pipe?

And we would all chant A BIG NO.

And he would say to us that is the greatest lesson in life.

He would say focus on the process and not the end result.

Many years later, I was preparing for an exam. 

I was so confident with myself that I had already passed the exam because I had taught over 20 students who had written the same exam and passed.

Guess What: I failed the exam! I came short by one mark. The passing score was 40 and I scored 39. 

That result plagued me for many years.

During my lessons learned debrief after failing the exam, I realized that 60% of the questions I faced on exam day were based on two topics I barely studied. 

I also assumed that since everyone I taught passed the exam, then I the teacher should pass without putting in much effort.

This debrief made me realize one key lesson. Focus all your energy on the Process and you will get a good result.

Stop for a minute and ask yourself this honest question: When last did you hear yourself say that exam or that training is easy, this design is so easy, I can finish it with my eyes closed or I can’t wait to put this behind me. We would defeat Team B without breaking a sweat.

If you find yourself talking like this, then your focus is on the end goal and not the product.

A quick real life example I remember very vividly was the France 1998 World Cup when Nigeria played Denmark in the second round.

My friends were busy saying that we know that Nigeria will be meeting Brazil in the quarter finals, so there was no need to watch the Denmark Match. 

I remember bringing their attention to one fact: The Denmark team just won the European Cup and had a team who had been playing together and they had the Laudrup brothers who were the team’s midfield anchors.

Their remark: A Nigerian team that won Olympic Gold and was assembled one month before the World Cup would defeat a united, well trained team.

We all know the end result. Denmark trashed Nigeria by 4 goals to 1.

One major challenge plaguing the world today is the Get Rich Quick syndrome and Fix it Now Behavior. 

This syndrome and behavior make people to do everything at all costs to attain overnight success. 

The end result is that we now see:

Half-baked artisans (Plumbers, Engineers, Mechanics) struggling with the fundamentals of doing their jobs.

Companies starting up with a vision of drawing maximum profits without a single procedure document in place.

Teachers who tutor and mentor leaders of tomorrow without lesson notes.

Coaches who assemble teams in less than a month and expect to win a world championship

International Donors and Inter-Governmental Agencies working last minute to save the world from famine, drought, erosion and global warming that had been warning us 5 decades ago.

Politicians and Leaders who sell a manifesto to get into office and never implement while in office because they are in a hurry to get into the next office.

Organizations that believe that their Technology Department is a cost center, however they want to sell their products to every customer in the world.

Religious Institutions that focus on building big edifices yet cannot empower their people to be self-sufficient and capable of living the golden rule.

THE PROBLEM STATEMENT: We focus on the Result and not the Process.

Now, let me share a process that has helped me to pass over 50 exams in the last 13 years.

S/No.	Activities	Senses
1.	Visualize the Benefits of the Exam Watch Computer based Training Videos of the course	Visual
2.	Undertake Instructor Led Trainings Listen to Podcasts while driving	Auditory
3.	Read a Minimum of 3 Books on that Field Write summary notes (Flashcards) as I read the books	Read/Write
4.	Practice what I have learnt by simulating it in real Life Getting Hands on by implementing the plans I have written	Kinesthetic

Let me conclude by saying that we must learn to focus on the process, rather than the end result. I am of the opinion that if the process is right, then the end product will also be excellent.

P.S: I wish to dedicate this article to Project Management Institute (PMI), The KPI Institute and the Society of Neuro Linguistic Programming who has helped me in the journey of discovering that the process is more important than the result.