Operations has a bit of an image problem.

Talking about systems, processes, workflows, and automations is rarely compelling dinner-party conversation. It sounds dry. Technical. Boring.

Like a rice cake.

And yet, for me, there’s very little more satisfying than creating order out of chaos.

For example, when I open a work drive and it reveals

✓ a labyrinth of subfolders,
✓ holding a lifetime of unorganized files,
✓ that have no universal naming conventions, and
✓ a single lengthy 12-fonted document masquerading as an SOP.

I see a puzzle.

Specifically, a 1,000-piece puzzle that just needs patience, perspective, and someone who can see the final picture before it’s complete.

This mindset matters because if your organization’s approach to operational improvement is to freeze at the idea of a complete and immediate overhaul. New systems. New platforms. New processes rolled out all at once.

In reality, meaningful operational progress almost always starts much slower.

You Don’t Need an Operational Overhaul

Large-scale operational change is expensive, time-consuming, and disruptive. It also creates resistance, especially in mission-driven organizations where people are already stretched thin.

Systems don’t improve through sweeping transformation. They improve through clarity.

Think of operations like my puzzle. You don’t dump all the pieces onto the table and expect the picture to magically appear. You start with the corner pieces. You build the frame. Only then does the image begin to emerge.

The same is true for workflows, documentation, and internal processes.

Why Small Systems Changes Create More Impact

When operations feel chaotic, it’s usually not because everything is broken. It’s because a few specific areas repeatedly create confusion, delays, or unnecessary work.

These friction points show up as:

✓ constant clarification emails,
✓ repeated questions about the same task,
✓ work that gets redone or undone, and
✓ knowledge living in someone’s head instead of a shared system.

Left unaddressed, these issues quietly drain time, energy, and morale.

Addressed thoughtfully (even just one at a time) they create immediate and long-lasting relief.

That’s where a simple operational mini audit comes in.

How to Conduct a Mini Audit

A mini audit is not a formal assessment or a consulting engagement. It’s a focused exercise designed to surface one high-impact opportunity for improvement.

Here’s how to do it.

Step 1: Choose One Area of Work

Start small and specific. Pick:

✓ One person’s job function
✓ One recurring responsibility
✓ One process that happens weekly or monthly

Resist the urge to zoom out too far. The goal is depth, not breadth.

Step 2: Ask Targeted Questions

Once you’ve identified the area, work through these prompts:

✓ Which tasks consistently require the most clarification?
✓ Where do delays or bottlenecks occur most often?
✓ What steps are handled differently depending on who is doing them?
✓ Which information is undocumented or inconsistently stored?
✓ What work depends heavily on one person’s memory or availability?

You’re not fixing anything yet. You’re observing patterns.

Step 3: Identify a Repeating Point of Friction

Look for what comes up again and again. The task that:

✓ Generates the most back-and-forth
✓ Breaks down when someone is out
✓ Feels harder than it should be

That is your corner piece.

What to Do Once You Find It

After identifying a single high-impact task, focus on clarity, not perfection.

Document the task simply. Define:

✓ What needs to happen
✓ In what order
✓ Using which tools or files
✓ Where the final output lives

Standardize just enough to remove ambiguity. Then share it.

One clarified process often reduces confusion in adjacent areas. Teams gain confidence. Decisions happen faster. Work becomes easier to hand off or scale.

And momentum builds.

Operations as a Human-Centered Practice

Good operations is not about rigid systems or endless documentation. It’s about supporting people so they can focus on the work that matters.

At their best, systems fade into the background. They reduce cognitive load, create consistency, and make collaboration smoother without stripping away flexibility or judgment.

Creating order from chaos isn’t about control. It’s about care.

Care for your team’s time and energy. Care for your mission. Care for sustainability—organizationally, not just environmentally.

Start with the Corner Piece

You don’t need to transform all your operations at once.

Start with one area of work. One repeating task. One source of friction.

Build the frame. Let the picture come together from there.

If you’re curious what that corner piece might be in your organization, take a moment to reflect or send us a message. Sometimes all it takes is a second set of eyes to see the pattern that’s already there.

Creating Order from Chaos: A Practical Approach to Nonprofit Operations