Many of us are hearing and experiencing a lot of recent changes occurring under the term EFFICIENCY. Efficiency is defined as the ability to achieve a desired outcome with minimal resources, effort, or waste. 

Let's explore what activities help to create good Efficiency.

As we reflect on our learnings from past successes and failures, these activities continue to bubble up when striving to increase the team's efficiencies:

1. The idiom, "don't throw the baby out with the bath water", applies when seeking more efficiency. Before jumping into changes, identify the work processes, systems, and structural VALUE ADDING activities. There are activities that the end customer values (desired outcomes that helps them solve a problem or advance their efforts, at a good cost) AND helps ensure good quality (1st time complete & correct). More on finding value.

3. People continue to be the 🗝️. Involve customers and doers of the work to identify work processes, systems, and structure value, wastes, suggested changes / improvements to gain real, practical changes that will stick and create the needed efficiency. This also significantly improves excitement and buy-in to the agreed upon changes. More on engaging people in improving efficiency. 

4. Implementing changes to improve efficiency has proven challenging for some. The root of the challenges may be found in the above 3 activities. Additional steps to help effectively implement efficiency changes include a. document instructions on how to work in this new way, b. teach everyone, c. measure the changes, d. be there to provide coaching and assistance, and e. celebrate progress and efficiency gains. More on effective implementation of change.