FG-0103 People Over Process
Description
When process conflicts with people, people win. This principle prevents the common failure mode where governance, documentation requirements, or workflow overhead becomes so burdensome that it impedes the collaboration it was designed to support. Process exists to serve the team, not the reverse. This applies equally to human team members and AI agents: if a process consistently creates friction without proportional value, it should be revised or removed.
Implementation
Regularly audit processes for value vs. burden ratio. Establish a mechanism for any team member to flag process friction. When process and productivity conflict, default to productivity and fix the process later. Never let documentation requirements prevent shipping.
Success Indicators
- Team members feel empowered to challenge ineffective processes
- Process changes are driven by friction encountered in practice
- Governance overhead is proportional to team scale
- Fun and engagement are treated as valid productivity metrics
Failure Modes
- Using this principle to avoid all process: leads to chaos at scale
- Ignoring legitimate governance needs because they feel burdensome
- Confusing 'people over process' with 'no process'
- Selective application: invoking people-over-process only when convenient while enforcing rigid process when it benefits leadership, eroding trust in the principle itself