Efficiency Isn’t Always the Answer
In a world obsessed with productivity hacks, streamlined processes, and multi-tasking, we've developed a dangerous obsession with efficiency. Constantly hearing that we need to "do more with less" and "work on the margins", we're in a never-ending sprint toward optimization. But is this relentless pursuit of efficiency is actually stifling our creativity and hindering innovation?
The truth is, innovation rarely comes from a neat and tidy process. Many of the world's greatest inventions came from the messy, unpredictable, and often inefficient spaces where we experiment, explore, and make mistakes. It's born from a willingness to take risks, to fail forward, and to embrace the unknown.
According to his records, Thomas Edison failed 2,774 times before finding a working design for the electric light bulb. That's not efficient, folks. There aren't many environments today where that type of patience, failure, and "waste" would be tolerated.
Some other "accidental" discoveries include:
The Post-It Note was the end result of a failed attempt to develop a super strong adhesive.
Penicillin was actually a direct bi-product of a messy workspace. Accidental contamination led to mold growing in a petri dish. The lack of bacteria surrounding the mold led Alexander Fleming to the conclusion that the bacteria-killing mold juice could serve a medicinal purpose.
Potato chips were created by a chef trying to annoy a finnicky diner who complained that his french fries were too thick. After multiple attempts to appease the man with ever thinner-sliced fries, the chef gave up, and in an effort to spite the man, cut the potatoes so thin that they couldn't be eaten with a fork, fried them to the point of being crunchy, and then deliberately oversalted them. Surprisingly, the customer loved them. Voila: the potato chip.
These innovations weren't born from perfectly-laid out plans and meticulous execution. They were born from experimentation, creativity, & a healthy dose of inefficiency (and maybe a chef with an attitude problem).
Don't get me wrong: as a father to three, I'll be the first to admit that efficiency can be a wonderful thing. With only so many hours in a day, maximizing that time often feels like a prerequisite for survival. But efficiency for efficiency's sake can be the enemy of innovation, purpose, and beauty.
1. It stifles creativity: When we're focused on doing things "the right way", we often limit ourselves to existing solutions and familiar methods. We become conditioned to follow the snow plow rather than venture into the freshly fallen powder.
In 1968, Dr. George Land did a longitudinal study to test the creativity of 1,600 children in an attempt to determine what percentage of society can be considered "genius-level" creative thinkers. When he tested 3-5 year olds, he found that a remarkable 98% exhibited what is considered genius-level creative thinking skills(!). When he re-tested the same group at 10 years old, the percentage plummeted to 30%. Tested five years later at 15: 12%. When he applied the test to more than 280,000 adults (avg age 31), the proportion of genius-level creative thinkers was a measly 2%. We're not getting dumber. We're learning to think in uncreative ways.
2. It discourages iteration: With many go-to-market strategies, the goal is to reach a "finished product" as fast as possible. The term MVP captures the concept perfectly: Minimum Viable Product. It's a version that's just good enough to attract early-adopter consumers. It might make good business sense, but this strategy can lead to ignoring valuable learning opportunities along the way because they might slow down that process, even if those detours could result in a better outcome.
3. It overlooks unexpected opportunities: Sometimes, we're just lucky...if we allow ourselves to be. If we remain laser-set on the finish line, then we're almost certainly guilty of confirmation bias. If it's not aligned with our strategy, many will tell us it's just "noise" we should ignore to avoid distraction. Stay humble in the process and let serendipity, timing, and good fortune to do their thing. As Bob Ross would say, allow for "happy accidents".
Efficiency has its place. We all want to use our time wisely. No one sets out to be inefficient. But like everything, efficiency comes at a cost. There's always a trade-off. Not everything is made better by algorithms and AI. There can be a beauty in the messiness, and as shown above, it can lead to good outcomes, too.
So how do we embrace a non-linear path to innovation or decision-making without messy becoming sloppy?
Set your destination, not your journey. I'm not advocating for aimless wandering. It's critical to have a North Star. Know what you're trying to accomplish, but don't be so arrogant to think you can forecast every step along the way. Being overly-precise in your goal-setting can be a pitfall here. Think of yourself like a ship captain: you know where you're trying to sail, but know when to ride the currents and when to forge ahead.
Foster a culture of experimentation. Encourage your team to explore & take calculated risks. Create safe spaces for failure and learning, and celebrate the little wins along with the big ones...whether they were intended or not.
Prioritize growth & action. Perfection is a myth, so stop seeking it. Action and failure is better than inaction, so tolerate mistakes, but never a fear of failure.
Anything in excess can be dangerous, so don't let your "messiness" become unproductive, directionless chaos. But when you uncover an opportunity to make something more efficient, maybe just take a minute to ponder, "should I?"