In leading an international business, I want my team to be agile, responsive, and fast in handling day-to-day matters—without compromising on quality. Efficiency and Speed aren’t about cutting corners; they’re about clarity. When everyone understands the core objectives and takes full accountability, things move.
I see this as similar to playing a sport—there is winning and losing, time pressure, and the need to operate with skill while overcoming challenges. You don’t pause mid-game to debate whether to take a shot—you read the play, trust your training, and execute.
During my year-end break I read the book Move Fast Fix Things by Anne Morriss and Frances Frei, where they emphasize that leaders need to create an environment where people aren’t afraid to make quick, informed decisions. One big idea I took away from reading this book is this: Speed doesn’t mean chaos; it means removing friction so teams can act decisively.
Let me illustrate this with an example. Imagine you’re a sales leader pitching a fintech solution to a bank. The client shows interest but hesitates, citing concerns about integration complexity. You could wait for a lengthy, formal, internal review process or act fast by pulling in your product and tech colleagues, persuading them to create a simple demo tailored to the client’s existing systems, and walking them through it. The hesitation turns into confidence, and confidence turns into a deal.
Speed happens when people take ownership. If you want to move fast and fix things, you must ensure that people under your watch have clarity of expectations, the necessary authority, and the confidence to act.