As part of our recent FaMoRa Services contest, participants shared their insights on which dimension is most often overlooked in process improvement and business optimization: efficiency or effectiveness. A winner was selected and to close the loop, a broader poll was conducted to gather additional perspectives. The results were decisive: effectiveness emerged as the most under-leveraged dimension.
This cuts to the heart of a core challenge: organizations often do not realize that both effectiveness and efficiency are two sides of the same coin, the hallmarks of process improvement. Efficiency emphasizes speed, cost, and streamlined execution; effectiveness focuses on outcomes, impact, and alignment with strategic objectives. Organizations that deliver sustained value recognize that both are essential. Streamlined processes without alignment produce output, not outcomes. Alignment without execution produces intention, not results.
To operate on both sides of the coin:
✅ Define Outcomes that Matter: Prioritize work that drives measurable results and aligns with strategic objectives.
✅ Remove Friction in Execution: Streamline workflows, minimize handoffs, and clarify roles to move from a plan to action.
✅ Align People, Purpose, and Process: Ensure the team understands how their work contributes to outcomes, with clear workflows and decision pathways.
✅ Measure with Context: Pair efficiency metrics with outcome-focused indicators to verify that efforts are translating into impact.
✅ Iterate with discipline: Continuously improve ways of working to sustain speed and results.
When organizations master both efficiency and effectiveness, the coin turns: strategy and execution become inseparable, delivering both velocity and impact. Boom.