Manufacturers are juggling three persistent challenges: digital transformation, the forever labor shortage, and the pressure to do more with less. In the latest episode of MetaPod, host Ron Crabtree sits down with David Jenyns, an entrepreneur and author whose work centers on building a strong systems culture, to unpack a practical path forward. David’s new book focuses on the concept of a “systems champion,” the person who extracts best practices from experts, documents how work gets done, and accelerates adoption of technology where it matters most.
David flags a risk many leaders underestimate: every day, critical know-how leaves the building in the heads of seasoned team members. Illness, turnover, or poaching can turn that key-person risk into operational downtime. The first step in addressing this risk is to capture what people already do well. Record a skilled operator completing a task, transcribe it, and turn it into step-by-step guidance. With modern tools, a solid first draft of a procedure can be produced quickly, so experts only need to review and refine.
AI is creating real gains, but only for organizations that are process-first because machines still need clear instructions. David recommends documenting standard work so it is never more than one click away. On the shop floor, this could be a QR code on a machine that links to a procedure. In back-office workflows, it could be a task link inside your project system. Once the baseline exists, ask a simple question: how can AI help us do this faster, cheaper, and better?
David shares a real-world example to illustrate the payoff. He shares a story of an accounting firm where a junior employee spent about 900 hours per year logging into a government portal, gathering updates, and emailing clients. By codifying the steps and building a small automation with a human in the loop for review, the work dropped to roughly 6 hours per year. Manufacturing back-office processes often contain the same kind of structured, repetitive tasks that are ready for this treatment.
You cannot improve what you are not measuring. David advises leaders to use dashboards to find broken or underperforming areas, then trace those metrics back to the supporting processes. Start with the lowest hanging fruit, replacing a manual step with a prompt-driven draft, and stitch simple steps into a small workflow. Keep any improvements accessible so they stick.
You will never be able to document everything, and you don't need to. Apply the 80/20 rule to focus on the vital few processes that drive most of the outcome. Document the “blue sky” version of how work should run on a good day, then use it to train new hires and escalate exceptions to experienced staff. This maintains high quality while speeding up onboarding.
Great processes rarely happen in spare time. David recommends designating a systems champion to remove friction and keep momentum. Early on, a ratio of about one systems champion per 50 employees works well, though smaller firms can start with a part-time role. Consider high-capacity junior talents for this seat. They are often tech-comfortable, naturally organized, and gain visibility across departments. Over time, many grow into operations leadership.
The systems champion also helps remove common excuses for not following the process:
David also shares how AI disrupted his own documentation service almost overnight, and the takeaway is clear. Every role and department will be affected. Companies that delay risk becoming the next cautionary tale. Companies that act now can capture knowledge, harden processes, and plug AI into work that already happens every day.
If you’re ready to go deeper into systems champions, process-first digitization, and practical AI adoption, you can get in touch with David by connecting with him on LinkedIn or visiting systemology.com. You can also get in touch with Ron via email at metapod@metaexperts.com or connect with him on LinkedIn.
MetaPod offers a wealth of knowledge and expertise for operational executives and organizations seeking to optimize their operations and supply chains, as well as common challenges such as digital transformation, the forever labor shortage, and doing more with less. Listen and subscribe today for more insightful and engaging discussions on operational excellence, leadership, growth strategies, and organizational transformation.
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