Why Process Emails Always Fail

Why process emails always fail

A hard-learned lesson about the difference between announcing change and implementing it

Twenty-three years ago, I thought I was being an efficient manager. We had a billing process that was creating errors, costing our practice thousands in delayed payments and rework. The solution was obvious: implement a new verification system.

So I did what most new managers do. I wrote a detailed email explaining the new process, outlined every step clearly, and sent it to the team on a Monday morning. Problem solved, right?

Wrong.

Six weeks later, we were still dealing with the same billing errors. The same missed steps. The same confusion about who was responsible for what. My "perfectly clear" email had accomplished exactly nothing except creating resentment and resistance among the staff.

That failure taught me one of the most expensive lessons of my management career: There's a world of difference between announcing a process and implementing one.

The Announcement Trap Every Manager Falls Into

If you've been in management for more than six months, you've probably made this same mistake. You identify a problem, develop a solution, craft what you think is a clear communication, and hit send. Then you sit back and wait for the magic to happen.

It doesn't.

According to research by McKinsey & Company, 70% of organizational change initiatives fail. Not because the changes aren't needed, and not because the solutions aren't sound. They fail because leaders confuse communication with implementation.

Here's what I learned the hard way: Your team's resistance isn't defiance. It's data.

But here's what nobody tells you about failed process implementations: they don't just cost you the immediate problem you were trying to solve. Failed process implementations cost the average medical practice $47,000 annually in productivity losses, repeated training costs, and team turnover. Teams that don't trust change initiatives are three times more likely to lose good employees who get frustrated with the constant chaos.

The Four Types of Resistance (And What They're Really Telling You)

When my billing process email failed, I initially blamed the team. "They're not following directions," I thought. "Some people just resist change."

I was wrong. Their resistance was actually feedback about what I'd gotten wrong in my approach. Over the years, I've learned to recognize four distinct types of resistance—and what each one reveals:

1. "I Don't Understand" Resistance

What it looks like: People ask repeated questions, make mistakes in execution, or avoid the new process entirely.

What it really means: Your communication wasn't as clear as you thought, or people learn differently than you teach.

The fix: More explanation, visual aids, hands-on training, or different communication methods.

2. "I Don't Agree" Resistance

What it looks like: Questioning the need for change, pointing out flaws in the new process, or suggesting alternatives.

What it really means: You didn't involve them in the problem identification or solution development.

The fix: Explain the "why" behind the change and invite their input on implementation details.

3. "I'm Comfortable" Resistance

What it looks like: Reverting to old habits, "forgetting" new procedures, or doing things the old way when you're not watching.

What it really means: The old process felt easier, faster, or more natural. Change requires conscious effort.

The fix: Make the new process easier than the old one, or create accountability systems that make reverting uncomfortable.

4. "I Don't Trust" Resistance

What it looks like: Passive compliance without enthusiasm, waiting to see if you'll actually follow through, or testing whether exceptions will be made.

What it really means: They've seen initiatives come and go without lasting change.

The fix: Demonstrate consistency, follow through on your commitments, and prove this change is permanent.

Business author and consultant Simon Sinek puts it this way: "People don't buy what you do; they buy why you do it." This principle applies just as much to internal process changes as it does to customer relationships.

The False Economy of Speed (And Why "I Don't Have Time" is Costing You Time)

Here's the objection I hear most often when I explain proper process implementation: "I don't have time for all this collaboration and checking in. I need results now."

I understand that pressure. Especially in medical practices where patient care can't wait and problems need immediate solutions. But here's the uncomfortable truth: rushed implementation actually takes more time, not less.

When you skip the involvement phase and just announce changes, you'll spend the next 6-12 weeks dealing with:

• Repeated questions about unclear procedures

• Fixing mistakes from improper execution

• Having the same conversations multiple times

• Managing team frustration and resistance

• Eventually starting over with a different approach

The math is brutal: Proper implementation takes 2-3 weeks upfront but creates lasting change. Rushed implementation takes 2-3 days upfront but requires 6-12 weeks of cleanup.

Which timeline actually gets you results faster?

When Your Team Has "Change Fatigue"

If you've tried and failed to implement processes before, you're dealing with something more challenging than normal resistance: change fatigue. Your team has learned not to trust that new initiatives will stick.

Change fatigue looks like:

• Eye-rolling when you announce new procedures

• Comments like "Here we go again" or "This won't last"

• Minimal effort to adopt new processes

• Waiting to see if you'll actually follow through before committing

Here's how to overcome it:

1. Acknowledge Past Failures

"I know we've tried to fix this before and it didn't stick. That was my fault for not implementing it properly. This time is different, and here's how..."

2. Start Smaller

Instead of announcing a complete system overhaul, fix one small problem completely. Prove you can follow through on small changes before attempting big ones.

3. Show Your Work

Let them see your implementation plan. "Here's how we're going to make sure this actually works this time..."

4. Address the Trust Issue Directly

"I know some of you are thinking this won't last. I understand why. What would it take for you to believe this change is permanent?"

The Authority Paradox (Why Involving Your Team Actually Strengthens Your Leadership)

Another common concern I hear: "If I ask for their input, won't they think I don't know what I'm doing?"

This fear is backwards. Involving your team in solutions demonstrates confidence, not weakness.

Strong leaders know they don't have all the answers. They know the people doing the work daily often see problems and solutions that aren't visible from the management perspective.

When you ask for input, your team thinks:

• "My manager values my experience"

• "I'm being heard and respected"

• "This leader cares about getting it right, not just being right"

When you don't ask for input, they think:

• "My manager doesn't think my experience matters"

• "This person doesn't understand what it's really like to do this job"

• "Here's another solution that won't work in the real world"

The authority you gain by involving people far outweighs any authority you think you lose by asking questions.

The Real Process Implementation Framework

After years of trial and expensive error, I've developed a systematic approach to process implementation that actually works. It's more work upfront, but it prevents the costly failures that come from the "email and hope" method.

Step 1: Involve Your Stakeholders

Before you write a single word about the new process, talk to the people who will be executing it daily. Not to get their permission—you're still the leader—but to get their insight.

Ask these questions:

• What problems do you see with our current approach?

• What would an ideal process look like from your perspective?

• What obstacles might prevent this new process from working?

• What would make this change easier for you to implement?

When I finally learned to do this, I discovered that my team often had solutions I'd never considered. More importantly, when people help design the change, they own it instead of resenting it.

Step 2: Get Buy-In, Not Just Compliance

There's a crucial difference between compliance and buy-in. Compliance means people follow the process when you're watching. Buy-in means they follow it because they believe it's better.

To build buy-in:

• Explain not just what is changing, but why it's changing

• Connect the new process to outcomes they care about (easier work, better results, fewer problems)

• Address their concerns honestly before rolling out the change

• Show how the new process solves problems they've experienced

Research from Harvard Business School shows that when employees understand the reasoning behind changes, they're 5x more likely to support implementation efforts.

Step 3: Roll Out Systematically, Not All at Once

The biggest mistake I made with that billing process email was trying to change everything immediately. I've learned that successful process implementation happens in phases:

Phase 1: Pilot Testing (Week 1-2) Implement the new process with one or two people who are most likely to succeed. Work out the kinks before going company-wide.

Phase 2: Gradual Rollout (Week 3-4)
Expand to the rest of the team, using the pilot participants as champions and trainers.

Phase 3: Refinement (Week 5-6) Make adjustments based on real-world feedback and usage.

This approach prevents the chaos that comes from everyone stumbling through a new process simultaneously.

Step 4: Check In Early and Often

Here's where most managers drop the ball. They announce the change, maybe check in once or twice, and then assume it's working.

Effective check-ins happen:

• Daily for the first week

• Every other day for the second week

• Weekly for the first month

• Monthly thereafter until the process is fully embedded

During these check-ins, you're not just asking "Is everything going okay?" You're asking specific questions:

• Where are you getting stuck?

• What's taking longer than expected?

• What would make this process easier?

• What problems have you encountered that we didn't anticipate?

Step 5: Follow Through with Accountability

The final piece—and the one that determines whether your change sticks—is consistent accountability. This doesn't mean being punitive. It means being persistent.

Accountability looks like:

• Regularly reviewing whether the process is being followed

• Addressing deviations quickly and directly

• Recognizing and celebrating successful implementation

• Making adjustments when the process isn't working as intended

As management expert Patrick Lencioni notes in "The Five Dysfunctions of a Team," "If you could get all the people in an organization rowing in the same direction, you could dominate any industry, in any market, against any competition, at any time." But getting everyone rowing in the same direction requires more than just telling them which way to row.

When Upper Management Wants "Immediate Results"

If you're feeling pressure from above to show quick improvements, explain the timeline reality to your supervisor:

"I can implement this change in two ways:

Option 1: Send an email today, see some immediate compliance, then spend the next 3 months dealing with problems, resistance, and eventually having to start over.

Option 2: Take 3 weeks to implement it properly with team involvement and systematic rollout, then see lasting results that don't require constant management attention.

Which approach better serves our long-term goals?"

Most rational leaders, when presented with this choice clearly, will choose the systematic approach. If they insist on the quick fix, document the timeline and problems you expect so you can course-correct when the predictable issues arise.

Damage Control: When You've Already Sent "The Email"

If you've already announced a process change and it's not working, here's how to salvage the situation:

1. Stop and Acknowledge

"I announced this new process last week, and I can see it's not working the way I hoped. That's on me, not you."

2. Reset with Involvement

"Let me try this differently. Can we have a conversation about what's not working and how to fix it?"

3. Start Over with Proper Implementation

"I'm going to pause this change and restart it the right way, with your input and a better rollout plan."

4. Follow Through Completely

Don't let this become another failed change. Use it as proof that you can learn and improve your leadership approach.

The Long-Term Payoff

When I finally implemented that billing process correctly—involving the team, addressing their concerns, rolling it out systematically, and following through with accountability—the results were dramatic. Not only did we eliminate the billing errors, but the team became more engaged in identifying and solving other operational problems.

That's the hidden benefit of proper process implementation: it builds your team's confidence in change itself. When people see that new processes actually make their work easier and more effective, they become allies in continuous improvement instead of obstacles to overcome.

What This Means for Your Next Process Change

The next time you need to implement a new process, resist the temptation to write the perfect email and hope for the best. Instead:

1. Start with conversations, not communications. Talk to your team about the problem and potential solutions.

2. Build the change together. Use their insights to create a process that works in the real world, not just on paper.

3. Roll out gradually. Test, refine, and expand rather than trying to change everything at once.

4. Stay involved. Check in frequently during the first month to address problems quickly.

5. Follow through consistently. Prove that this change is permanent by maintaining accountability over time.

Yes, this approach takes more time upfront. But it's far less time than you'll spend dealing with a failed implementation, repeated resistance, and the eventual need to start over.

The Choice Every Manager Faces

Every time you need to implement a new process, you have two choices:

Choice 1: Write the email, send it out, and hope people follow it. When they don't, blame their resistance and try again with stronger language.

Choice 2: Involve your team in the solution, build buy-in before implementation, roll out systematically, and follow through with accountability.

Choice 1 is faster initially but leads to repeated failures, team frustration, and wasted time.

Choice 2 requires more effort upfront but leads to lasting change, improved team engagement, and processes that actually work.

After twenty-three years of making this choice both ways, I can tell you: Choice 2 is always worth the investment.

Your team wants to do good work. They want processes that make sense and leaders who involve them in solutions. When you implement change the right way, you're not just fixing the immediate problem—you're building a culture where improvement is collaborative, not combative.

The next process you need to implement is an opportunity to prove that to yourself and your team.

Jim Heinz is a medical practice management consultant with over 30 years of experience helping practices build systems that work. His approach focuses on practical solutions that get buy-in from teams rather than resistance. Learn more about systematic team building at JimHeinzConsulting.com.