Business Operations
Why operational knowledge should not live with one person
When a business's operational memory sits with one experienced employee, it's not a system — it's a risk. Here's how to move it into the business.
Every business has someone who "just knows how things work". They know the suppliers, the passwords, the history, the quirks. And every business quietly hopes that person never leaves.
The problem with hero knowledge
- It's invisible. Nobody knows what they know until they're not there.
- It's unreviewable. Decisions can't be second-guessed because they were never captured.
- It's fragile. One resignation, one long illness, one change of role — and the business is exposed.
What good looks like
Operational knowledge belongs in the business, not with the individual. That means:
- Suppliers, contracts and renewals are in a register — not an inbox
- Every operational area has a named owner — not "the team"
- Decisions are captured with context — not just outcomes
- Documentation is accessible to more than one person
The move
You don't need to document everything at once. Start with the highest-risk areas: critical suppliers, insurance, IT and premises. Then work outwards.
The Business Operations Checklist is a good starting point.
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