Is there such a thing as being too efficient?
By
Theoretically speaking there can always be too much of anything - but efficiency.... I’m a firm believer in that you can never be 'too much' on the ball.
One would think that working at his level of effectiveness is a desired trait in any employee, contractor, or consultant relationship; but from my own personal experience, the ability to work efficiently and effectively can cause surprising challenges.
In my tenure as a leadership/executive coach and marketing consultant, I've found that some organizations speak a good game, but when it comes to actual results - they aren't necessarily ready for them. When I choose to work with a business, my role is clear no matter in what capacity I am supporting. Whether its strategy building or training a team, being effective and efficient are major goals.
Occasionally, there is push-back on getting desired results quickly (or faster than anticipated). Why? Usually, it’s because a company has yet to lay the proper foundation so that once the desired results are reached, there is an easy transition to reaching the next major goal. No one wants to admit that they don't know what's next, but this scenario happens more often than you think.
So, what is the solution to embracing (and perhaps, expecting) efficiency within your organization? Here are 3 things to consider:
1. Know where you want to go: Once you've established what areas need more efficiency and have clarity of goals - determine ‘what's next', so that the reaching of your goal is met with anticipation and excitement.
2. Expect the unexpected: When setting goals for yourself and/or your team, expect to be pleasantly surprised. If a goal is reached in record time - awesome! Take note of what processes worked and record for use next time.
3. Develop closer relationships: One of the looming elephants in the room is "what about the time that is no longer being used?". The short answer is, when your team completes a project with efficiency, use this as an opportunity to learn more about their processes so that you have a clear understanding of how they spend their time.
It's safe to say that there are numerous reasons for encouraging efficiency within any organization; but it isn't without the possibility of challenges. The important part is to meet these challenges with a strong foundation and support for team members to continue reaching and exceeding goals.
One would think that working at his level of effectiveness is a desired trait in any employee, contractor, or consultant relationship; but from my own personal experience, the ability to work efficiently and effectively can cause surprising challenges.
In my tenure as a leadership/executive coach and marketing consultant, I've found that some organizations speak a good game, but when it comes to actual results - they aren't necessarily ready for them. When I choose to work with a business, my role is clear no matter in what capacity I am supporting. Whether its strategy building or training a team, being effective and efficient are major goals.
Occasionally, there is push-back on getting desired results quickly (or faster than anticipated). Why? Usually, it’s because a company has yet to lay the proper foundation so that once the desired results are reached, there is an easy transition to reaching the next major goal. No one wants to admit that they don't know what's next, but this scenario happens more often than you think.
So, what is the solution to embracing (and perhaps, expecting) efficiency within your organization? Here are 3 things to consider:
1. Know where you want to go: Once you've established what areas need more efficiency and have clarity of goals - determine ‘what's next', so that the reaching of your goal is met with anticipation and excitement.
2. Expect the unexpected: When setting goals for yourself and/or your team, expect to be pleasantly surprised. If a goal is reached in record time - awesome! Take note of what processes worked and record for use next time.
3. Develop closer relationships: One of the looming elephants in the room is "what about the time that is no longer being used?". The short answer is, when your team completes a project with efficiency, use this as an opportunity to learn more about their processes so that you have a clear understanding of how they spend their time.
It's safe to say that there are numerous reasons for encouraging efficiency within any organization; but it isn't without the possibility of challenges. The important part is to meet these challenges with a strong foundation and support for team members to continue reaching and exceeding goals.
