Be Effective More Than Efficient

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I love efficiency. I like to see people work to make things better, faster, and more appealing.

Innovation is exciting!

Where I get lost is when their fascination with making something easier paralyzes them to the point of stagnation. They will spend more time working to find a better, faster, or easier solution than it would take to just do the work of the existing options.

We are most effective when we work to persuade at the one-on-one level. When having individual conversations, we:

• Are able to see body language and interpret those cues
• Get to hear non-verbal auditory cues, like tone, as we listen attentively
• Display a passion for Liberty 
• Get immediate feedback on our efforts

While these conversations are not particularly easy, especially at first, they are effective.

As someone who is rather technologically adept, while also appreciating innovation, I understand the desire to automate and digitize things. The key for us is to balance the “old” and “new,” as we reach different audiences, who have different preferences.

Many “old ways” involve a bit of a personalized attention, like hand-written letters and notes, a telephone call, or following up with a thank you. While we may find e-mail blasts, mass texting, and smartphone apps more efficient for us to broadcast a message, keep in mind that those methods aren’t as effective as actual person-to-person interaction. They also will not reach everyone, even those you target with your message. We all find a reason to archive or delete an e-mail, ignore a text, and turn off the notifications for an app.

As those looking to persuade work to develop the “next big thing,” keep in mind that the time you spend on innovation is time not spent being a shining example of libertarianism, living a libertarian lifestyle, or having those conversations. By seeking to “reinvent the wheel,” many forsake the tried and true methods, rather than working on getting their message out and lose valuable time.

This compounds when we assume one “touch” carries the same weight as another. An in-person conversation holds more value than receiving an e-mail blast. A personal phone call outweighs a direct mail piece. A handwritten thank you note shows you care more than an automated response e-mail.

None of that should be taken to mean that we shouldn’t utilize some of the more innovative, efficient methods of communicating Liberty. Rather, we should incorporate them as part of a comprehensive strategy to be as effective as possible, rather than focusing on just the most efficient, and often less effective, modes.