You’ve probably heard a tech vendor promise their solution will “remove all friction” from your workflow. Their pitch deck likely showcased a beautiful, seamless experience where technology practically disappears. And I bet something inside you desperately wanted to believe it. 🔍
I’ve sat across from hundreds of leaders who chase this promise of frictionless technology. They implement one-click solutions, automate every possible process, and integrate systems until everything flows without human intervention.
Meanwhile, the leaders achieving genuine technological peace are doing something that might shock you: they’re deliberately preserving certain points of friction in their systems.
These thoughtful pauses – these moments of intentional resistance – are actually their secret weapon. ⚡
Here’s what these contrarian leaders understand: friction creates opportunity for reflection. When technology moves too smoothly, we stop questioning whether each action serves our ultimate purpose. We optimize for speed rather than intention, for volume rather than value.
I once worked with a fintech company that automated their entire customer onboarding process. Conversions improved dramatically, but six months later, customer retention had plummeted. Why? The frictionless process brought in customers who weren’t truly aligned with their service.
The solution wasn’t more automation but strategic friction: thoughtful steps that ensured both parties were making informed decisions. They added intentional pauses for human judgment at key moments. 🤔
The healthier mindset doesn’t ask “How can we eliminate all friction?” but rather “Where is friction valuable? Where does a moment of pause or reflection serve our purpose?”
This approach requires courage. It means questioning the dominant narrative that faster is always better. It means designing systems that sometimes slow people down—not to frustrate them, but to help them engage more meaningfully.
Next time you review a workflow, ask yourself: Where might a strategic pause actually improve outcomes? Which automated processes deserve a human checkpoint? Where does friction create value rather than waste?
The peace you seek doesn’t come from eliminating all technological resistance. It comes from embracing the right kind of friction—the kind that keeps us mindful, intentional, and human in our increasingly automated world.
Christopher Grant
Founder, Nebari Consulting
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Spotted a typo? Consider it a feature not a bug. Now you know I’m not an AI 🤖