Ever feel like your team is spinning its wheels? Work lingers, things have to be redone, and momentum feels slow. It’s tempting to blame the team — to think you’ve hired the wrong people or that motivation is the problem.
In most cases, it’s not a people failure. It’s a process failure.
(Ok, sometimes it is indeed a people problem, but we can address that at a different time)
Nine times out of ten, when something breaks down in your business, the cause isn’t that someone didn’t care or wasn’t capable — it’s that the system didn’t make it clear who should do what, when, or how.
So let’s walk through how to tell the difference.
Step 1: Identify the Stuck Spot
Start by naming exactly where things feel bogged down.
Ask yourself:
- What project, deliverable, or recurring task consistently gets delayed, redone, or dropped?
- What does “stuck” look like — missed deadlines, rework, or confusion?
Writing this down helps narrow the focus so you can trace the issue back to a single point instead of blaming the whole system or team.
Step 2: Observe the Pattern
Next, look for consistency.
- Does the same problem happen in multiple parts of the business?
- Or is it isolated to one role or department?
If it’s systemic, it’s likely a process problem. If it’s limited to one person’s work and the expectations are crystal clear, then you may have a people issue.
Step 3: Check the Process First
Before assuming someone “messed up,” review the process that guides this work. Ask:
- Do we actually have a written process for this?
- Is everyone following the same steps?
- Are the steps clear and realistic?
- Do people know what “done” looks like?
If you’re missing clear, documented systems, you’ve found your culprit. Without well-defined processes, even great employees can get tripped up, duplicate work, or make mistakes.
Step 4: Validate the Process Clarity with Your Team
Now, check your reality against theirs. Pull the people doing the work into the conversation.
Ask them:
- What’s not clear or consistent about how we do this task?
- Where do things tend to get stuck or confusing?
- What would make this easier or faster?
You’ll often find that your team already sees the gaps — they just haven’t had a way to fix them.
Step 5: If the Process is Solid, Then Look at the People
If your systems are clear, documented, and consistently followed but performance still lags, then it’s time to look closer at the individual’s capability or fit.
Ask:
- Do they understand the expectations?
- Have they been trained properly?
- Are they in the right role for their skills?
True “people failures” usually show up only when expectations are clear and systems are solid.
Step 6: Fix the System, Then Coach the Person
Here’s the best part, when you fix a weak process, you automatically set your people up for success. Once you’ve tightened the system, revisit any lingering people challenges with kindness and clarity. You’ll know you’re coaching from facts, not frustration.
Leading people is about both systems and processes. If you are stuck at the process level, message me for an exercise to get you unstuck. If you find you are stuck at the people level, message me for a framework to help you see if they are the right person for the job.
Stephanie German is a business coach for small businesses focused on strategy and impact who are ready to take action with scalable guidance without the non-sense. She directly works with owners, founders, and leaders through a specific framework to compress time, increase income, and boost productivity. Find out ways to work together here.