2026 Schedule

Many service and support organizations look efficient on paper. Dashboards are green, queues are moving, and teams are busy—but outcomes aren't improving in meaningful or sustainable ways. Leaders sense the gap, yet struggle to name what's actually broken.

This session examines the concept of efficiency theater: when activity, speed, and utilization are mistaken for progress. We'll explore how common optimization efforts—particularly metric design, automation, and process standardization—can unintentionally transfer work, increase cognitive load, and create hidden operational debt that slows teams down over time.

Rather than focusing on tools or tactical fixes, this talk reframes optimization as a leadership discipline. Attendees will learn how operational signals shape behavior, where over-optimization erodes judgment and quality, and why teams that appear "busy" are often stuck compensating for system design flaws.

Through real-world examples from service environments, this session will help leaders distinguish between motion and momentum, identify where efficiency efforts are undermining effectiveness, and make smarter strategic choices that improve stability, service quality, and team sustainability.

This session is designed for service and support leaders who want to move beyond surface-level efficiency gains and build operations that can scale without burning people out or sacrificing trust.

Takeaway

1. Distinguish between true operational progress and "efficiency theater," recognizing when activity, speed, and utilization metrics are masking deeper system issues.
2. Understand how metric design shapes behavior, and identify where common efficiency measures unintentionally create rework, cognitive load, and hidden operational debt.
3. Identify where optimization efforts are transferring work rather than eliminating it, leading to the appearance of efficiency without real improvement in outcomes.
4. Evaluate when automation and standardization help—and when they erode judgment, reducing service quality and long-term effectiveness.
5. Apply strategic decision-making principles to optimization efforts, enabling leaders to prioritize stability, sustainability, and customer trust over short-term gains.