Deliberate Understaffing Prevents Politics

The concept of deliberate understaffing is a counterintuitive approach to resource allocation that creates productive tension and focuses teams on what truly matters.

When staffing projects, you can't get the exact number right, so you must choose whether to oversteer or understeer. Deliberate understaffing is the superior approach because it forces prioritization and prevents waste.

Why Deliberate Understaffing Works

• "It is really important that we feel that we've deliberately understaffed every project at the company"

• Overstaffing creates several critical problems:

  • Politics emerge when too many people compete for influence
  • People work on things "further down the priority list than necessary"
  • Creates waste and slows down the organization
  • Builds unnecessary complexity ("cruft")

• Teams should feel slightly "dehydrated" - always wanting more resources but not dying of thirst

• This creates productive tension that keeps teams focused on what truly matters

Implementation Principles

• Start with deliberate understaffing as your default position

• Watch carefully for signs that you've gone too far (the "wisdom element")

• When teams ask for more resources:

  • Evaluate if they've truly maximized what they have
  • Add resources strategically only when absolutely necessary
  • Ensure new resources are focused on highest-priority work

• Pair this approach with high standards and intensity:

  • "If you wanna be in the ninety-ninth percentile in terms of outcomes, it's gonna be really difficult"
  • "It's supposed to be really freaking exhausting"
  • "Good teams get tired and that's when great teams kick the good teams' asses"

The Balancing Act

• The key is distinguishing between "deliberate understaffing" and "under-understaffing"
• You must develop judgment about when a team has reached true resource constraints
• This approach works best when the company is winning and growing
• Teams will tolerate the pressure when they see extraordinary results from their efforts

This approach creates a virtuous cycle: teams focus on what matters most, deliver faster, and build momentum that attracts more resources to fuel further growth.