Want to make work more efficient, effective, and even more enjoyable? Address the system.
I recently listened to this conversation with Jen Fisher and Mark C. Crowley.
One thing I appreciated was Jen’s emphasis on asking how decisions impact people — not just the bottom line.
As an organizational effectiveness consultant, it’s the same question I ask my clients.
But the work can’t stop there.
Even when organizations ask the question, they’re often not designed to follow through on the answer.
Decisions are still:
— layered onto existing priorities instead of integrated
— communicated across fragmented channels without a cohesive structure
— pushed through systems that were never designed to support them
So the result is predictable:
— unclear direction that leaves people confused
— duplicated effort that wastes time and resources
— slow or inconsistent execution that delays outcomes
— frustration and burnout among employees leading to time off and turnover
We often misdiagnose it as a people issue, but it’s not. It’s how work is structured.
If decisions are hard to understand, absorb, and act on, it’s usually not because people aren’t capable.
It’s because the system around them is creating friction.
Until organizations start redesigning how decisions are made, communicated, and operationalized, they’ll keep seeing the same patterns — no matter how many tools or programs they add.
