When No One Has Time to Drink It?

In many businesses, the instinctive response to a problem is simple: throw more people at it. Deadlines are slipping? Hire another pair of hands. Workload piling up? Bring in extra bodies. It feels logical — after all, more people should mean more output.

But here’s the catch: what’s the point in someone making tea if no one has time to drink it? Without direction, purpose, measurement and accountability, you risk creating motion without progress. You end up with busy people — but no better outcomes.

The Folly of Just Adding People

When you add people without clarity, you don’t just multiply capacity — you multiply confusion. Each new person has to be trained, aligned, and fitted into existing workflows. Without clear guidance, they risk duplicating work, stepping on toes, or worse, making mistakes that others have to fix. Instead of solving the problem, you’ve just added another layer to it.

What Really Makes the Difference

Success doesn’t come from sheer numbers. It comes from:

• Direction — everyone knowing the why behind the work.

• Purpose — tasks that connect to a meaningful outcome, not just busywork.

• Measurement — clear ways of knowing whether progress is actually being made.

• Accountability — individuals owning their part so nothing falls through the cracks.

With these in place, you don’t just get more done — you get the right things done.

Tea — and Maybe Cake Too

Adding more people without structure is like endlessly brewing pots of tea that no one has time to drink. The cups pile up, everyone’s rushing, and no one gets the benefit. But when you focus on direction, purpose, measurement and accountability, the picture changes. You don’t just manage to drink the tea — you might even have time to enjoy a slice of cake together.

And isn’t that the point? Business should be about working smarter, not just harder. When teams are aligned and outcomes are clear, work becomes less about firefighting and more about achievement — with space left over to celebrate the wins.