Beyond memory: Creating business systems that never forget

I turned 50 in March, and something funny happened. Not "ha-ha" funny, but "hmm, that's interesting" funny.

My mind still feels sharp. I still feel alert, alive, and on top of things. But if I'm being honest with myself (and you), I'm not quite as razor-sharp as I used to be.

I find myself walking into a room and forgetting what I went in for. I arrive home from the shop without the very items I specifically went to buy. I even pick up the phone to call someone, only to stare at it blankly, wondering who I was about to ring.

Sound familiar?

Why This Matters to You

These small memory lapses are annoying but mostly harmless in everyday life. A little embarrassing, perhaps, but no real damage done.

But what about in your business?

What happens if you forget something truly important? Like paying a key supplier who keeps your production running. Or processing payroll on time. Or renewing a critical certification or license.

Even more concerning - what if you're simply not around to do these things? Maybe you're sick, incapacitated, or (let's be honest about the reality we all face) you've died unexpectedly?

Would anyone else know what needs to be done, when, and how?

In business, forgotten tasks don't just cause minor inconvenience - they can lead to major problems. Missed deadlines, lost clients, compliance issues, or even business failure.

Why Most People Struggle With This

Most business owners address this risk in one of two problematic ways:

1. They try to remember everything themselves.

This approach might have worked when your business was smaller, but as it grows, so does the number of critical tasks you need to keep track of. Even the sharpest mind has limits.

2. They implement partial, inconsistent systems.

Maybe you've documented some processes but not others. Or perhaps you've created systems that only you understand. This creates a false sense of security while leaving major vulnerabilities.

The real issue isn't lack of effort or intelligence. It's that most of us have never been taught the power of a humble yet extraordinarily effective tool: the checklist.

The Surprising Power of Checklists

When I mention checklists, many business owners dismiss them as too simple or too basic. "I don't need a list to tell me what to do," they say. "That's for beginners."

This reaction misses the point entirely. Checklists aren't about intelligence or experience - they're about consistency and excellence.

Consider these examples:

Surgeons use checklists to ensure they don't leave instruments inside patients during operations. Sounds crazy, but it happens - except when checklists are used. The introduction of surgical checklists has reduced complications and deaths by more than 30% in hospitals worldwide.

Airline pilots use checklists for every takeoff and landing, no matter how many thousands of flights they've completed. These highly trained, experienced professionals rely on checklists not because they're forgetful, but because they understand the cost of even a single missed step.

In my role as a firefighter, we use checklists for critical emergency responses. When tackling a house fire, we have specific checks for isolating utilities. For vehicle collisions, we have systematic steps to ensure proper stabilisation before extraction. These aren't nice-to-haves - they're essential tools that save lives.

Checklists aren't about being lazy or incompetent. They're about being thorough and infallible.

Building Bulletproof Business Systems

In my SaaS business, implementing checklists transformed our operations. Here's how we approached it:

1. Identify your Critical Processes

Start by identifying the processes in your business that:

• Have serious consequences if missed or done incorrectly
• Need to be done consistently, even in your absence
• Involve multiple steps that must be completed in a specific order

For us, this included client onboarding, monthly billing, system updates, and backup procedures.

2. Create Simple, Clear Checklists

Effective checklists are:

• Brief (ideally fitting on one page)
• Precise in language
• Focused on the most critical steps
• Easy to follow

We created checklists for daily, weekly, and monthly operational tasks. Each was tested and refined until it could be followed by anyone on the team.

3. Make Them Accessible

Checklists only work if they're used. We made ours easily accessible by:

• Storing them in a central, digital location everyone could access
• Keeping physical copies for critical processes
• Building them directly into our project management system

4. Build a Checklist Culture

This is perhaps the most important step. We worked to create a culture where following checklists wasn't seen as a lack of skill or knowledge, but as a commitment to excellence.

Everyone used them, including me. When the team saw me referring to checklists for processes I'd done hundreds of times, it reinforced that this wasn't about memory - it was about consistency and quality.

The Unexpected Benefits

The benefits went far beyond preventing mistakes. Our checklists:

Made onboarding faster. New team members could perform complex tasks correctly from day one.

Reduced stress. No one had to worry about forgetting steps, even under pressure.

Improved quality. Our error rate dropped dramatically, especially in complex processes.

Created resilience. When someone was absent, others could step in seamlessly.

Saved time. Counterintuitively, following checklists actually made us faster because we eliminated errors that would have required rework.

When I was diagnosed with cancer in 2020 and had to step away from the business suddenly, these systems kept everything running smoothly. What could have been a crisis became manageable, all because we had systematised our critical processes.

Takeaways for Building a Forgetproof Business

Here's how to get started with checklists in your business:

1. Start with one critical process. Don't try to checklist everything at once. Pick something important that happens regularly and create a checklist for it.

2. Keep it simple. Focus on the vital steps that must not be missed. Avoid the temptation to document every minor detail.

3. Test and refine. Have someone follow your checklist exactly as written. Watch for confusion or missed steps, then refine.

4. Model the behavior. Use checklists yourself, visibly and consistently. This sends a powerful message about their importance.

5. Review regularly. Processes evolve. Schedule regular reviews of your checklists to ensure they remain current and effective.

Remember, checklists aren't about compensating for forgetfulness or incompetence. They're about creating systems of excellence that operate consistently, regardless of who's performing the task or what distractions might be present.

The most successful businesses aren't built on heroic feats of memory or superhuman focus. They're built on reliable systems that deliver consistent results, day after day.

What critical process in your business needs a checklist this week?