Door Three: Optimize – Giving Your Team Superpowers

In the first two posts of this series, we explored the importance of avoiding unnecessary work and automating the right processes, setting the stage for technological implementation like AI to deliver meaningful impact. Yet even after those efforts, some work remains: repetitive, time-consuming, and often prone to error. Workforces are capable, but their potential is limited by inefficient workflows and outdated tools.

This is where optimization can fundamentally transform an organization. Opening the third door of Optimize is ultimately about equipping your people with what we at Voyage Advisory call “superpowers,” meaning smarter processes, better workflows, and the right tools to accelerate performance. Research from Formstack shows that in poorly optimized organizations, nearly 50% of employees spend two or more hours each day on inefficient tasks, whereas in well-optimized organizations, only 34% experience this drain. Thoughtful optimization removes friction, reduces errors, and allows employees to focus on innovation, strategic thinking, and customer impact without being bogged down by important work trapped in suboptimal processes.

When optimization includes smart technology like AI, the benefits multiply. A Slack/Salesforce-backed survey found that those who have successfully implemented a disciplined AI strategy, built on the foundation of avoiding unnecessary work and automating the right processes, are 90% more likely to report higher levels of productivity. Employees in these organizations estimate an average of 3.6 hours saved per week from automating routine tasks, illustrating that when optimization is done intentionally, technology and process redesign do not merely replace human talent but instead amplify it.

Optimization is more than efficiency; it’s empowerment. Employees feel capable and engaged because they have the systems and support required to excel without burnout. Leaders benefit from measurable gains in quality, productivity, and ROI while maintaining strategic control of the transformation. The raw potential already exists within most organizations; unlocking the third door of optimization ensures that this potential is fully realized. When leaders employ the three doors of Avoid, Automate, and Optimize with discipline, they reduce unnecessary work, streamline essential processes, and equip their teams with the systems and tools required to perform at their highest level. This creates a foundation where technological implementation becomes a strategic advantage instead of an expensive, ad hoc distraction. Yet even at this stage, one very important question remains: How can leaders systematically determine where these improvements should be applied across the organization so transformation is grounded in solid evidence rather than mere intuition? Continue following the Three Doors Framework series to explore this next layer of rigor in the final article, or connect with the Voyage Advisory team to continue the conversation about applying these principles in practice. Sources:

1. Formstack, “State of Digital Maturity: Automation & Optimization,” 2023.

2. Slack/Salesforce, “State of Work: Productivity & AI Adoption Survey,” 2023.