Those of you that have ever had a class with me know that I am a nerd. Here is proof, I spend some of my free time watching live streams of plane flights and rocket launches. For those that are pilots or astronauts, you have a very long checklist that you walk through every single time. A pilot of a commercial aircraft has thousands of hours in the cockpit, yet they have a checklist for everything.
And I do mean everything. External Electric, Before Engine Start, After Engine Start, Pre-Taxi, Taxi, Delayed Engine Start, Pre-Take-off, Take Off, Takeoff roll, Climb Out, and many more checklists that they follow for each flight. They physically must pull them out and check each item. For the launch of a spaceship, you can only imagine all the checklists they have. A checklist is essential for success. Is it time for you to use a checklist in your organization. A checklist to start the day at school, or your store, or your laboratory or before you start the day behind your desk. What if you took the time to create a checklist that conformed with your three most important priorities for the day, week, month, or year.
When you can start the day with a sense of clarity you will make huge strides. When your team has the clarity of expectations and a checklist to verify, they will become your dream team. I challenge you to create a checklist for yourself and your team.
Why a checklist:
Aids your team in recalling the process for setting up the day to day operations.
Provides a standard foundation for reducing the stress of your team throughout the day.
Provides a convenient sequence for day to day operations.
The movement of individuals are coordinated into a team
Allows mutual supervision (cross-checks and verifications amongst teams.)
Accountability
Enhances a team concept for setting up the business by keeping all teammates in the loop.
Who to contact if a variance in the procedures is noted.
Dictates the duties of each team member in order to facilitate optimum team coordination as well as a logical distribution of workload.
Everyone knows what to do, creating clarity in the organization
Serves as a quality control tool for management processes and government regulations.
All requirements for compliance are handled within the checklist.
Promotion of positive “attitude” toward the use of the checklist.
Checklists create clarity of expectations for your team.
Example:
Part of your operation is running Head Start Centers throughout the city. The below (partial}check list creates accountability with each center Manager and is a good starting place.
| TASK | Yes | No | Info Sent to Operation Manager | Notes |
| What time did you arrive at the center? ___:__ | ||||
| What is the condition of the parking lot? _______ | ||||
| Reviewing the sites Good Morning Checklist were there any issues or emergencies | ||||
| Are all cameras working (classroom and outside of the building) | ||||
| Did the buses leave the centers on time to pick up studentsIf late what time did, they leave | ||||
| Is all the scheduled staff on siteWho is not at work that should be, who is late | ||||
| Is every classroom fully staffed according to Head Start Performance Standards and Child Care Licensing | ||||
| Greet each parent and child with a smile and a positive attitudeHow many parents did you greet | ||||
| Were there any issues that parents shared with you Were parents’ issues handle with positivity and reassuranceAny problem escalated to the OM | ||||
| Complete a safety check of children and staff by observing all cameras several times a day | ||||
| How many In-kind forms did you turn in today | ||||
| Each classroom has a clean and filled water dispenser | ||||
| Is everyone wearing name tags and abide by the dress code | ||||
| Did all staff and visitors sign in and out and have tags | ||||
| Check email three times a day. | ||||
| Center Director child count sheets and walkie talkies inventoriedAre there any discrepancies | ||||
| All washing is complete, | ||||
| floors clean | ||||
| classrooms cleaned (teachers do this CD just monitors) | ||||
| Did you review the Playground checklist complete by CD or designee | ||||
| Are Guidelines being met Nutrition Assistant CD monitors | N |
This is just an example. Now you can sit down with your team and take action.
