Mastering Prioritisation in High-Growth, High-Pressure Environments

Why can prioritisation be so hard?

In fast-paced workplaces, everything feels urgent. Constantly shifting priorities, decision fatigue, competing agendas, and the HiPPO Effect (Highest Paid Person’s Opinion) often dictate what gets done. Without a clear system, teams risk burnout, inefficiency, and short-term wins at the expense of long-term impact.

If prioritisation is tough for one person, aligning an entire team is even harder. Everyone brings valuable expertise, but without a shared approach, chaos takes over.

How can we prioritise more effectively?

Set a Regular Cadence for Prioritisation

Establish weekly or bi-weekly alignment sessions to review priorities and manage last-minute changes. Use decision-making frameworks like MoSCoW or the Eisenhower Matrix to assess urgency.

Reduce Decision Fatigue

Automate routine decisions where possible. Set default choices—if no new insights emerge within a set timeframe, move forward.

Align Teams with a Clear North Star

Prevent conflicting priorities by defining a North Star Metric at the organizational level. Teams should align their OKRs accordingly to ensure focus, accountability, and consistency.

Prioritise Data Over Opinions

Decisions should be data-driven, not dictated by the loudest voice in the room. Encourage diverse perspectives early to avoid bias.

Define Minimum Viable Deliverables (MVDs)

Perfection isn’t the goal. Agree on the core essentials so teams can move fast while maintaining quality.

Why Prioritisation Breaks Down

I recently attended a leadership training program, and one exercise stood out. We were asked to build the tallest tower possible within a set time. The goal was clear, yet each person approached it differently. Some focused on height, stacking pieces quickly to reach the top. Others prioritised stability, ensuring the base was strong before building up. Some aimed to use all available pieces, believing resource maximisation was key.

Each approach made sense, but with limited time and resources, misalignment led to inefficiencies. The same happens in fast-moving organisations—without clear priorities, teams pull in different directions, slowing progress and reducing impact.

In tech and Agile environments, speed matters. Perfection isn’t the goal, but clarity on what truly moves the needle is essential. Prioritisation isn’t just about stating the end goal; it’s about defining the Minimum Viable Product (MVP) and ensuring everyone is aligned on what matters most.

Final Thoughts & Call to Action

Prioritisation is about focusing on what truly drives impact—both in the short and long term—to move the company closer to its goals. To master it:

✔ Create clarity with a shared North Star.

✔ Use OKRs to align and cascade priorities.

✔ Reduce cognitive overload with automation and decision defaults.

✔ Lead with data, not just opinions.

How does your team handle prioritisation in fast-paced environments? Drop a comment below or message me, I’d love to hear your experiences!