Process Debt

Welcome to Process Ailments – Try vs. Buy , where we explore the aches and pains of business processes through the lens of personal wear and tear. This week, Toby's battle with "old man knee" becomes the perfect metaphor for what happens when organizations ignore their process health. We kick things off with a laugh — is it a blood clot or just tight quads? — then dive into the deeper lesson: not...

Process Debt: "Emotional Debt & the Cost of Consistent Connection" This week on The Process Debt Podcast , Chris and Toby are coming to you live from the road, literally. With one host calling in from a pickup truck in southern Idaho and the other tuning in from Boise, the duo gets personal about an often-overlooked kind of process debt: emotional and constant connection debt. In this unplugge...

Discover how silent cultural cracks can bring down the biggest brands – before you see them coming. In this episode, Chris and Toby dive deep into the concept of cultural debt – an often invisible but powerful form of process debt that can shape, elevate, or destroy an organization over time. They explore: What cultural debt is and how it differs from process debt The hidden costs and risks of unc...

Get ready for a rewind to our March 21st episode, where we kicked things off with the latest drama between Trump and Musk – two fast friends turned quick enemies, with Musk seemingly taking the bigger hits this time around. We then dove deep into the world of process debt , asking the hard question: Are the systems we rely on at work fundamentally broken? From ERP nightmares like SAP to hacked-tog...

Where does your work live? If the answer is “everywhere and nowhere”—scattered across Slack threads, buried in email chains, lost in forgotten SharePoint folders—then this episode is for you. In this episode of Process Debt , Chris and Toby unpack the messy reality of modern knowledge work and ask a provocative question: Is your work homeless? Together, they explore what it means for work to lack...

In this episode of Process Debt , Chris and Toby explore one of the most overlooked issues in modern business: the invisible constraints that shape our work as knowledge workers . Unlike physical jobs, where constraints are visible and immediate—think long lines or broken machinery—knowledge work is plagued by hidden bottlenecks, shifting priorities, and the chaos of constant context switching. To...

We’ve all been there—drawn in by a sleek SaaS website, hypnotized by animated walkthroughs, and convinced this tool will finally solve our team’s biggest pain points. But behind the glossy UI and clever branding? A clunky mess that no one wants to use. You just got SaaS-fished. It’s the business version of catfishing: The video showed elegant workflows. The reps promised seamless integrations. You...

We made it to episode 35—halfway to 70, not that it means anything… or maybe it does? In this episode, Chris and Toby take a raw, hilarious, and deeply practical look at what it really means to be “productive” in a modern knowledge economy that thrives on exhaustion and disconnection. From cobblers and calendars to Cal Newport’s Slow Productivity , we break down: Why most productivity systems are...

AI has transformed how we work—but not always for the better. In this episode of the Process Debt Podcast, Chris and Toby unpack the paradox of AI-driven productivity. Yes, we can create more than ever before. But with that power comes rising expectations, ambiguous goals, and a growing sense of burnout. Together, they explore: Why AI increases input volume but doesn’t guarantee better outputs The...

You're paying full price for tools your team barely uses. That’s not SaaS fatigue. That’s a zombie system. Every business has them—tools nobody owns, nobody uses well, but everyone keeps paying for. They hide in plain sight: That analytics platform no one logs into A CRM that only stores names, not relationships Jira instances you can't shut down because "there’s still some data in there" Zombie s...

In today's episode, Chris and Toby explore the crucial topic of how most businesses optimize their internal silos rather than focusing on what happens between them. They discuss the importance of curiosity, contextual understanding, and the detrimental effects of a myopic approach to business processes. The conversation spans various examples, including challenges faced in product development, cli...

oin Toby and Chris in Episode 31 as they delve into the intricacies of supply chains, inspired by current headlines. They discuss the massive scale and impressive efficiency of modern supply chains, using examples like McDonald's fry factories and the production of iPhones. The conversation extends to historical contexts, such as the textile industry and the evolution of manufacturing across diffe...

In episode 29 of the Process Debt Podcast, the hosts humorously discuss their own performance and continue their exploration into how businesses manage customer expectations and deficiencies in process. They reflect on personal experiences, including the misconceptions regarding the success of big businesses and the reality behind corporate roles. The conversation addresses whether the customer is...

Welcome to Podcast #28! It's Fix It Friday, and we're diving into why businesses struggle so much with change. Join hosts Toby and Chris as they explore why half of all business initiatives fail and discuss insights from the CEB Corporate Leadership Council's 2016 study. Discover why alignment, clear objectives, and understanding the 'game' are critical to successful change. Hear personal anecdote...

Welcome to Process Debt Podcast #27! Today we're reaching a significant milestone — half a year of enlightening discussions. This episode dives into the often unseen areas where process debt hides, disrupting organizations without being immediately apparent. We explore recurring patterns in organizational reorgs, the human tendency to address symptoms instead of root causes, and how executive-leve...

In this episode, we dive into the fascinating world of exoskeletons, both literal and metaphorical. We start by discussing military-grade human exoskeletons and their perceived usefulness versus real-world functionality. This leads us to a broader discussion on how businesses often build their own 'exoskeletons' around tooling and processes. We explore how outdated or cumbersome systems create hid...

In this episode, Toby and Chris discuss the importance of psychological safety in the workplace and how its presence or absence affects the ability to implement effective process changes. They share personal experiences and examples of how job security and supportive environments can lead to innovation and improvement, while fear and lack of alignment can stifle growth. They also touch on the chal...

In this episode of Process Debt, Toby and Chris discuss the frustrations with automated customer service systems, sharing personal experiences with local credit unions and the broader implications for businesses. They explore how misaligned technology can disrupt customer relationships, value-add processes, and the importance of human connection in service industries. They also touch on generative...

Welcome to episode 24 of the Process Debt podcast! Dive into the conversation as we unravel the chaos surrounding Elon Musk's maneuvers in the government and how they impact Tesla shareholders. We also touch on the contentious world of software and ERP systems, like SAP and Oracle, discussing their configuration challenges and the common pitfalls businesses face. Additionally, we explore the nuanc...

Chris and Toby dive into the pervasive problem of notification fatigue and its impact on productivity. The discussion highlights how relentless notifications—from emails to digital home alerts—interrupt focus, making it harder to accomplish meaningful work. They share personal strategies and tools like the Freedom app and Time Timer to combat distractions. The conversation also touches on the broa...

In this episode of Process Debt, we discuss the concept of delegation without accountability. We explore how managers and employees grapple with prioritizing tasks amid constant distractions and heavy workloads. We touch on the importance of clarity in action items, the potential pitfalls of ineffective meeting habits, and practical strategies for managing focus and productivity. Join us as we del...

In this episode of the Process Debt podcast, hosts Toby and Chris delve into the impacts of layoffs and employment changes on business processes. They discuss the critical role of process owners and the chaos that ensues when these key players leave. Sharing personal anecdotes, Chris talks about his early career experience where he streamlined processes so efficiently that he inadvertently worked...

In episode 20 of Process Debt, we delve into the nuanced difference between systems thinking and silos. Toby and Chris discuss how focusing solely on efficiency within a known scope can lead to complexities that impact the entire system. Through engaging examples from manufacturing, software, and even a personal customer service nightmare with Fabletics, they highlight the real-world implications...

In episode 19, Toby and Chris discuss their challenges in producing a short solo podcast and dive into the Dunning-Kruger Effect, focusing on the oversimplification of complex issues. Toby shares his experiences as an adjunct professor and the mixed expertise of his students. Chris introduces automotive mechanics to exemplify the oversimplification in understanding complex subjects. Both highlight...

In the 18th episode of 'The Process Debt Podcast,' we discuss the complexities of getting people to adopt new methods and the challenges managers face in maintaining business structure while adding value. The episode emphasizes the importance of avoiding constant changes that disrupt workflow and highlights the value of standardization, as seen in examples like Tim Cook at Apple and Jeff Bezos at...