How far would a brilliant idea fly without a process mindset in ideation? Not far.

Often in our line our work, we come across many brilliant minds that think of unconventional business ideas that are certainly the vibes in today's disruptive economy! After all, we would rather be the disruptor than the disrupted.

Yet, when the novelty wears out (because someone else will come along and disrupt you and your idea), then we will very quickly be relegated to the "Hall of Have-Been". That's why we need constant R&D, upskilling and constant innovation.

But there's one thing that doesn't seem to be in vogue these days but could very well spell the difference between a market player as an "one-hit wonder" or a serious contender that can't be displaced so easily: Process Thinking.

Process Thinking adopts a system perspective in solving issues. It privileges the importance of interconnectedness of things so that like a fortified tower, things don't crumple at the first instance, but it's upheld because other pieces are in place.

This matters in business because customers put their trust in a product or service for more than one reason (hopefully!): convenience, price, customer service...etc. So if a new kid on the block comes around, your customers won't jump ship when you blink your eyes. Psychologically, customers want to know that they've made a good purchase decision. Therefore, to reduce post-purchase dissonance, they might wait around a little longer before signing off.

But if we haven't invested in thinking process (and not just customer service) in viewing our business as an interconnected fortified tower, then yes, we might just be inducted to the "Hall of Have-Been" due to our missteps. In other words, don't think of business functions in 'silos'.

So, at AGILIT, we think process in everything we do. We question the end objectives and we set milestones to get there in the most seamless way. We begin projects by making sense of the financial numbers and let the numerical narratives guide us in working through all interconnected processes systematically. We even think process in using communication strategically to achieve outcomes intentionally.

In a nutshell, a process-thinking mindset might very well explain the difference between an organization "entering a new territory" and one that is "occupying a new territory".

The writer, Dr. Katy Kan, wears many hats and is a partner with AGILIT Consultancy LLP. If you’d like to find out more in this area, do drop her a line at katykan@agilitconsultancy.com.sg