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Finding Administrative Efficiencies

What It Is

A method to reduce administrative burden and free up time for mission-driven work.

Why It Works

Small inefficiencies add up fast. A few strategic changes can streamline processes, reduce redundancy, and improve productivity without adding costs.

Reflection: Why This Matters to You

Before making efficiency improvements, ask yourself:

  • Which administrative tasks take up too much time? Are there specific processes that could be automated or streamlined?
  • What has stopped me from optimizing admin work before? Have I accepted inefficiencies as unavoidable or lacked the right tools?
  • What will be different now? How can I start making small but impactful changes to free up time for mission-driven work?

How to Use It Right Now

  1. Identify Repetitive Tasks – What tasks keep happening manually that could be automated or simplified (e.g., duplicative data entry)?
  2. Cut Unnecessary Meetings – If a meeting’s purpose can be handled via email or a shared document, cancel it or change the purpose and agenda so coming together is meaningful for all involved. 
  3. Use a “One-Touch” Rule for Documents – Instead of revising, emailing, then revising again, require all feedback in one round before finalizing.
  4. Automate Where Possible – Use tools like Google Forms, scheduling apps, or simple templates for routine processes.
  5. Streamline Communication – Replace scattered email chains with a single shared document or a team platform (e.g., Slack, Asana).

Example in Action

Instead of:
“We spend hours each month manually tracking volunteer hours.”

Try:
“Let’s set up a Google Form where volunteers self-report hours, cutting admin time by 50%.”

Power-Up Option

Do a monthly “efficiency audit”—have staff list 1–2 administrative tasks that could be improved or eliminated. Note, however, that sometimes these tasks create a much-needed enforced break for staff. It may seem like a waste to have a staff person at a photocopier for a couple of minutes, but this may be the only time the person will have to stand up away from their desk and not be in the presence of a client.

Great Read

Patrick Lencioni’s (2004) Death by Meeting: A Leadership Fable…About Solving the Most Painful Problem in Business. Jossey-Bass.

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