The Point at Which Volume Becomes a Problem
At first, having more files, more requests and more people involved is pretty much the best thing that can happen. It means growth, momentum and progress - something's working - you know?
But there's a point where volume starts to feel more like a millstone than a badge of honour. Not all at once, mind you. It's a gradual shift. You notice it when even the little things start taking twice as long as they used to, and every decision feels like it's weighing a ton on your shoulders.
Nothing's actually broken, but by gum it all feels a lot harder.
And That's When Managing Tasks Becomes a Nightmare
When volume is low, your job is all about execution - just get the thing done, finish the task and move on.
But when it starts to build up, that's no longer the case. Suddenly, you're no longer just doing tasks, you're filtering, sorting and deciding what takes priority and what can wait. That's a whole lot of energy going into managing noise rather than creating value - and that's where the frustration starts to creep in.
And that's not because people are being lazy - it's because they're being overwhelmed. Volume just forces you to shift from action to prioritisation - whether you're ready for it or not.
As Teams Grow, Context Starts to Disappear
One of the first casualties of high volume is shared context.
When you're dealing with so many inputs, details start to slip, the 'why' behind decisions gets lost, and new people come in without the whole backstory. Old assumptions just linger for too long.
And it's not anyone's fault - it's just what happens when information starts multiplying faster than understanding can keep up. People start asking the same questions all over again, or sometimes they just stop asking and make an educated guess instead. And that's when rework starts to sneak in - quietly at first, then more and more obviously.
The Emotional Toll of Endless Intake
There's an emotional side to volume too, but we don't talk about it enough.
Constantly having to deal with more and more things makes you feel like you're never going to catch up, no matter how much you do. And that creates a low-level anxiety, a background buzz that's always there, piling the pressure on.
Some people try to speed up, others just shut down a bit - but neither of those is sustainable.
At this stage, systems and boundaries are no longer optional, they're essential - they start to feel protective rather than helpful.
When Structure Can't Be Ignored Any Longer
Eventually, teams get to a point where do-it-yourself approaches just aren't working any more. Spreadsheets get messy, folders are chaotic, and searching for stuff takes longer than it used to.
That's when more robust systems start to come into play - tools that help you manage, classify and surface information in a more intentional way. For some teams, that might include something like eDiscovery software - not as some magic fix, but as a way to regain some clarity when dealing with sheer volume becomes too much.
The key shift here is mindset - structure is no longer about control, it's about just keeping your head above water.
Decision-Making Grinds to a Halt Before It Improves
One thing that happens when volume starts to get a grip is that decision-making actually slows down for a bit.
Teams take a step back, they reassess, and they clean up. And that pause can feel pretty uncomfortable, especially in fast-moving environments. But it often needs to happen.
Once systems and habits are sorted out, decision-making tends to get a lot better - it becomes more informed, less reactive, and less driven by whoever shouts the loudest or replies fastest.
Volume demands that you be intentional in what you do - without it, speed is just a recipe for chaos.
Leadership Changes When Teams Get Really Big
At scale, leadership isn't about telling people what to do any more - it's about designing the working environment. Creating clarity, setting some boundaries, making it easier for people to do the right thing without constant intervention.
Leaders who get this early tend to navigate growth a lot more smoothly - those who ignore it often end up firefighting issues that look operational but are really structural.
Volume changes the rules - and pretending it doesn't is just delaying the inevitable.
Working With Volume, Not Against It
Volume isn't the problem - unmanaged volume is.
When teams acknowledge that growth brings complexity and complexity needs some TLC, the work becomes lighter again - not easier, just clearer.
The real shift happens when people stop trying to outrun volume and start shaping how it flows instead. That's when momentum comes back - quietly, steadily.
