What does working smarter mean for you? What does working harder mean, come to that?

I first heard this tagline about 10 years ago. In the UK, BT used it in an advert to sell technology. It’s an attractive proposition, isn’t it?

But I don’t believe that working smarter necessarily involves technology. Too often the technology increases the workload, rather than supports it. As anyone who has been on the receiving end of SAP can testify.

Working smarter, for me, means things require less effort.

That means understanding what drives the individuals in the team. And harnessing that drive so that it synchronises with the company’s goals, and moves everybody a little further forward to a common goal.

I’m curious what other people think.