Overcome the biggest barriers to working more efficiently

If it’s taking you weeks, it should take days 

In every business, there’s always at least one project that’s taking far too long. Not because it’s technically complex, but because ownership is murky, visibility is low, and the process hasn’t been questioned. 

When things are slow, it’s rarely about workload. It’s more often about structure. So, what’s actually slowing businesses down? 

From the outside, the delays often look like resourcing issues or competing priorities. But dig a little deeper, and the same themes appear again and again: 

Unclear ownership 

If no one is clearly accountable, momentum grinds to a halt. Decision-making gets diluted, responsibility gets passed around, or worse still, quietly ignored. 

Poor visibility 

When leaders don’t know what’s in motion, and teams can’t see the full picture, it’s easy for duplication to creep in and for priorities to drift. 

Cumbersome process 

Too many sign-offs. Workflows designed for another era. Governance that’s more theatrical than functional. 

Lack of pace ingrained in the culture 

If “we’ve always done it this way” is left unchallenged, progress and growth cannot happen. You don’t need chaos to be agile, but you do need urgency and a desire to change things. 

Communication gaps 

A lot of the time, people aren’t necessarily resisting change, but they are unsure, or unaware. A little clarity can smooth this process and remove weeks of slow progress. Communication is always SO important. 

What to do differently 

You don’t need a complete operating model overhaul, instead you need focus, accountability and a few deliberate shifts in behaviour: 

• Assign real ownership – one name, not five. One person empowered to drive, decide, deliver and ultimately, lead. 

  
  

• Make work visible – live dashboards, open reviews, clear priorities. Keep it in the light and keep it transparent. Don’t know where to start? smart/sync can help! 

  
  

• Strip the fat from the process – if it doesn’t add value, remove it. If it adds delay, question it. Your process and workflows need to be streamlined and focused to ensure speed and efficiency are maximised. 

  
  

• Normalise fast cycles – speed doesn’t mean you’re in crisis, it means you're working with urgency to deliver and improve. 

• Communicate with intent – not just updates, but clear asks, expectations, and progress markers. Remember the aim is to provide clarity - not add to confusion. It’s also vital to include milestones to celebrate and behaviours to recognise - and everything should align with your overall goals. 

The outcome 

When work flows more efficiently, teams feel it: decisions happen earlier, energy stays high, and cost drops. Pace isn’t about rushing or simply going faster. It’s about working smarter, with clarity, accountability, and focus, while still moving forward. Most organisations have the right people. They’re just stuck in ways of working that no longer serve them. 

At smart/tasking, we’re great at helping businesses take a step back, see things through a different lens, and make practical changes that accelerate progress. 

If that sounds like what you need then we’d love to talk.