The Friction Project Summary

Friction is not always the enemy; sometimes it is the very thing that sparks creativity, innovation, and progress.

1. Friction: Friend or Foe?

Friction in the workplace can be overwhelming, manifesting in endless meetings, convoluted processes, or even outdated technology. These obstacles drain morale, waste time, and limit progress. Such negative friction erodes trust and discourages collaboration, making any effort at innovation feel futile.

But not all friction is harmful. There is a kind that can inspire deeper problem-solving and better output. For instance, releasing a product without enough review may eliminate friction in the short term but result in long-term failure. Such was the fate of Google Glass – rushing to market without addressing flaws turned it into a failure rather than a game changer. In this light, carefully managed friction can become a force that refines ideas and prevents costly mistakes.

Interestingly, attempts to create a wholly friction-free workplace can often make things worse. Technologies meant to streamline communication – like Zoom or Slack – can overwhelm staff with messages and make work-life boundaries disappear. Understanding the difference between destructive friction and constructive tension is key for creating a thriving work environment.

Examples

• Lengthy weekly meetings consumed hundreds of extra hours for one company due to premeeting tasks.
• Michigan residents faced over 1,000 questions in an application process for government aid, deterring participation.
• Pixar thrives on friction by iterating films several times to improve them rather than seeking immediate efficiency.

2. Respect Time: Yours and Others’

Time is not just money; it’s the essence of progress, and wasting it harms both individuals and organizations. Being mindful of how you affect others’ time is a sign of good leadership. Excessive bureaucracy or drawn-out workflows drain this resource unfairly.

Leaders can act as trustees of their teams’ time by eliminating inefficient practices and promoting effective communication. Dropbox's CEO, Drew Houston, famously wiped employees’ calendars clean of standing meetings to force reassessment. It led to fewer, more meaningful discussions. This also means introducing friction where it matters, like the case of BlueCross BlueShield, which forced extra steps for opioid prescriptions, reducing misuse significantly.

A successful time trustee continuously questions workflows, resists hierarchy if needed, and rewards those focused on results rather than appearances. Fixing problems, not blaming, is another virtue – a culture that focuses on solutions thrives.

Examples

• Winston Churchill's efficiency memo insisted on conciseness during wartime.
• Dropbox eliminated all standing meetings, urging employees only to schedule the ones that mattered.
• BlueCross BlueShield introduced bureaucratic friction to curb opioid prescriptions dramatically.

3. Leadership and the Problem of Power Poisoning

Leaders detached from their customers’ or employees’ daily struggles can create inefficiency through ignorance. "Power poisoning" happens when privileges shield decision-makers from reality, leading to poor decisions.

Auto dealership owners or executives getting free cars often don't experience the complicated, irritating process customers endure when buying one. Similarly, C-suite perks, like personal assistants or corporate travel, reduce these leaders' understanding of daily workplace or customer challenges. This disconnection leads to friction in customers' and employees' lives.

Addressing power poisoning requires humility and active participation. Leaders need to listen more than speak and shadow their employees’ realities. For example, Disney’s Dan Cockerell, by shadowing a housekeeper, improved his whole team's workflow based on her methods.

Examples

• Auto executives rarely experience the car-buying challenges faced by customers.
• A New York City school principal found inefficiencies causing student tardiness after shadowing one for a day.
• Dan Cockerell adapted a housekeeper's efficient note system after shadowing her for a working day.

4. The Counterintuitive Role of Friction

Removing friction isn’t always the best solution – some friction can foster innovation. When teams navigate obstacles thoughtfully, they gain clarity and refine their ideas. Pixar exemplifies this approach through multiple iterations of films.

Introducing intentional friction, like mandatory pauses for reflection or extra checks in projects, can lead to better outcomes. It prevents hasty decisions and fosters thoughtful problem-solving. However, poorly calibrated friction adds unnecessary delay and confusion.

Intentional hurdles also help identify the value in processes. Streamlining can sometimes strip away positive interactions, as seen in self-service systems, which often fail to provide the human touch customers still value.

Examples

• Google Glass failed partly due to a lack of careful, friction-induced revision processes.
• Self-checkouts removed personal interaction, causing some retailers to reintroduce cashiers.
• Pixar refines its films across seven to nine iterations, embracing course corrections in the journey.

5. The Addition Bias: Why We Add Instead of Subtract

Humans instinctively try to “add” solutions to problems instead of removing obstacles. Studies show that when managing projects, people focus on adding new steps or resources rather than simplifying processes.

For example, public university administrative roles have ballooned while teaching positions remain stagnant. Leaders, aiming to build visible legacies, often add redundancies. Eliminating unnecessary processes, however, can drastically lower friction, making room for meaningful work.

The first step to breaking this bias is identifying and subtracting what doesn’t serve any purpose. Whether eliminating redundant meetings, reducing email clutter, or simplifying approval processes, this mindset creates efficient and lean systems.

Examples

• U.S. universities’ administrative staff outnumber educators due to unchecked hiring practices.
• Asana removed 500 low-value meetings for employees, boosting efficiency.
• Vynamic restricted nonessential emails during core work hours, reducing distractions.

6. Meetings: The Double-Edged Sword

Meetings are often overused and underproductive. While they can foster collaboration, their overabundance creates unnecessary friction and drains focus from deep work.

Quick audits of meeting habits can often reveal inefficiencies, such as redundant conversations. Asana provides a great example by identifying and eliminating meetings with low return on investment. Similarly, organizations can cut down meeting-related prep work or focus on action-oriented outcomes.

Better scheduling, concise agendas, and time limitations can make meetings less of a cost and more of an opportunity. Encouraging self-awareness around meeting necessity is key.

Examples

• Companies that conduct pre-meeting prep sessions waste hundreds of thousands of annual hours.
• Asana's elimination of low-value meetings increased employee output significantly.
• Dropbox's “meeting-a-geddon” wiped unnecessary recurring meetings from calendars.

7. Email Overload and Its Toll

Email has replaced older methods of communication but creates its own challenges. With the endless influx of messages, it becomes harder for employees to focus on meaningful work.

Policies addressing email misuse can reduce this mental clutter. Some organizations redefine rules, such as limiting emails during nonworking hours to shift focus onto important tasks. Encouraging alternatives like brief phone calls can also lead to greater clarity.

Reducing email dependency not only makes workflows smoother but also sets better boundaries between professional and personal time.

Examples

• Employees spend hours managing emails that could be resolved through direct conversation.
• Consulting firm Vynamic restricted emails to core work hours for better productivity.
• Companies encouraging direct, clear phone communication reduce email clutter.

8. Rethinking the User Experience

Designing systems for users – employees or customers – ensures smoother interactions. Mapping out user journeys highlights areas for improvement, removing unnecessary friction and smoothing processes.

For instance, observing how users interact with a service might reveal steps they find confusing or redundant. Similarly, interviewing employees about their workflows can illuminate pain points leaders need to address.

Prioritizing the experience enhances satisfaction and engagement, whether it’s a customer buying a product or an employee completing an internal process.

Examples

• Mapping user journeys identifies where individuals experience bottlenecks.
• Employee interviews uncover hidden inefficiencies leaders often miss.
• Revisiting feedback systems improves overall satisfaction and retention in companies.

9. Fight Perfectionism: Focus on Progress

Not every task demands flawless execution. Leaders obsessed with perfection can unintentionally add unnecessary friction, wasting time on insignificant details.

Instead, identifying when “good enough” suffices – and when excellence is essential – helps streamline operations. Teams focused on deliverables rather than perfection often see quicker results without sacrificing important outcomes.

Perfectionism has value in some areas but drains time and resources if applied indiscriminately.

Examples

• Pixar refines films while knowing when to let perfectionism fuel – but not delay – completion.
• Excessive performance evaluations divert more energy than they add in many organizations.
• Not every product rollout demands perfect execution; iteration improves outcomes over time.

Takeaways

1. Distinguish bad processes from useful friction – then simplify or strengthen accordingly.
2. Commit to reducing unnecessary meetings, emails, and bottlenecks in workflows.
3. Regularly immerse yourself in team and customer experiences for a clearer perspective.