We aspire to do more with less. To squeeze diamonds out of pressure, not just coal out of effort. Yet in the noise of lean, SMART goals, MVPs, frameworks, and countless acronyms, the signal often fades. Busyness drowns out progress, and we end up with activity, not results.
So what are we missing? Why don’t we get the outcomes we dream of?
A few thoughts worth considering:
- Commitment. Transformation to make a difference is not for the faint-hearted. Playing it safe delivers ordinary. Bold but measured experimentation requires leadership that’s willing to stand in the fire.
- Old ways of thinking. Do projects always need full-time staff chained to the wheel? Could part-time staff, secondments, or dual roles (a Change Manager doubling as a Project Manager) unlock more value from the same resource pool?
- The gig economy. Not every skill belongs in-house. Hiring them all is like buying an orchestra to play one song. Instead, outsource discrete work packages with clear scope and fixed cost. Rent the music, don’t buy the band.
- Leverage what’s practical. Remote work. Self-organising teams. Managing by exception. Reducing work-in-progress. Reallocating idle staff to active or future tasks. These are not radical ideas—they’re pragmatic levers waiting to be pulled.
- Culture. Efficiency is contagious. Leaders who walk the talk spread it faster than memos ever can. Recognise the people who model “more with less” and make it part of the organisation’s DNA.
There will always be more tactics to explore. But the secret ingredient is commitment, perseverance, and patience. Change is not a quick win; it’s a compounding investment. Stay the course, and “more with less” becomes not just possible—but inevitable.
