Why Documentation Is the Key to Success

Bumps on the Path of Leadership

"One of your roles as a leader is to enable your team members to become more productive. You’re no longer just an addition to the team; rather you’re now a multiplier."

As a leader, your goal is to empower your team members and increase their productivity. You have transitioned from being just a team member to a multiplier. But how can you achieve this as an individual? Documentation plays a crucial role in this process. While our company had documentation as part of its culture, it was scattered and needed organization.

How to Make Documentation Coherent

"What’s worked wonderfully for us is documenting every step of the way. New people joining the team would immediately have access to the documentation, and they’d know about the work culture and processes from it."

To create a coherent documentation system, it is important to focus on documenting every step of the way. This allows new team members to have immediate access to the documentation, providing them with insights into the work culture and processes.

Instead of repeating information to new hires, it is more efficient to refer them back to the documentation. This approach also encourages open discussion and allows for improvements to be made. By adopting this practice, other teams within the company can also benefit, making documentation an integral part of the company culture.

"All of the above helps you become the multiplier because no one else has to think about it anymore. Everyone can depend on you, while you can bring the best out in your people."

By implementing a comprehensive documentation system, you become the multiplier. You eliminate the need for others to think about the same information repeatedly, allowing everyone to depend on you. This, in turn, enables you to bring out the best in your team members.

The Outcome: Increased transparency and collaboration were observed within the team. Other teams also sought to keep pace with our productivity and adopted our practices. This fostered a culture of learning and knowledge sharing.

Key Takeaways

• Regularly update and improve documentation to stay informed and organized.