[Chewbacca]

Did you keep default L2 action? ( the one where you hold L2 and the radial menu stays open til you let go of L2)

Default L2 action on the PS3 is clutch IMO.
Hold down L2, scroll to each char to select actions, let go of L2,- repeat.

I got fairly smooth with it after some practice. Its a method, holding L2 all while scrolling Characters with R1 and choosing from the menu/ selecting targets/ Rotating view with thumbs.

Changing L2 so the toggle stays open only allows you to direct one character's actions because it unpauses whenever you select an action. I dunno if it's a bug, but I quickly got used to the default L2 trigger.

Oh yeah, I love to micromanage and I do have tactics set up so I have the luxory of hopping from mage to rogue letting the warriors go through the motions on the best targets during vanilla battles. I sometimes start battles pausing each action and then cleaning up "on auto" at the end.