The Power of Simplicity: Avoiding Complications in the Workplace

It’s not always easy. What does that mean, and why? We make most things in our lives difficult, and they don’t have to be. Life is simple, but we keep making it complicated — That’s what Confucius said in 500 BC.

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First, life can be more difficult for you because of the huge flow of information and technology. Simplicity has become impossible, especially in businesses. For example. Try to make a plan Zoom meeting at the last minute – what happens?

How we complicate it all

Think of the daily barrage of elements: calendar invites, statistics, measurements, methods of accounting for things, technology, too many permissions, paperwork, unnecessary tasks, etc. We often generate complication rather than simplicity. We generate it by correcting too much and making exceptions – and staying in meeting-mania mode.

Second, some people make up for bad artists with crazy solutions. We often over-engineer solutions to make people feel better about participating in a process. Much of it is redundant – but really, it’s us.

The technique of complicated workarounds has several drawbacks: fatigue, lack of results, dissatisfaction, shattered passion, implementation costs and employees leaving companies.

Or could this be you? Talk for about half an hour and then send a letter of agreement to finalize the sale.

What does it cost to make that choice in any company? Multiply that amount by all of their choices. And all their meetings.

Why simplicity helps businesses

Enterprises those striving for simplicity have an edge. Here’s a lesson we learned in the 1990s. The procedure for applying for a mortgage was unbearable for potential customers. As a result, the banks and lenders just blew up the process, making it more customer-friendly, and they could see tremendous growth.

Use a Dedication to simplicity

The evidence supports this. Heidrick & Struggles studied Fortune 500 “super accelerators” and discovered a commitment to simplicity. They include simplicity as a way of living, thinking and working — and this allows them to quickly identify and reallocate resources to the essential opportunities, the report’s authors wrote. Teams that followed these rules did better financially. Simplicity pays off.

Think fast. Easy. Good. Done.

This is the foundation of a “Fast. Simple. Good. Done” mindset among customers and employees and a game-changing mindset, combining these four interconnected components to improve performance. Change this motto and see the results.

How simple to be?

Experts often tell clients to act like a private equity firm. History or connections don’t bind customers, so they can make several simple judgments about how they do their jobs. However, this is a liberating and powerful perspective for your work. In addition, many of us feel the influence of our emotions seeping into our actions and choices.

Think: simplify now or sink later.

To meet simply, we have to think differently. Many experts usually have groups of ten people passing a ball around in a circle, emphasizing that it must come into contact with each person’s hands.

Try this game with your team

Managers plan their first round and give them some planning time. Some experts have many groups do this little exercise at the same time to make it competitive. Then we celebrate the winner. When the advice is to cut their time in half, the room erupts and they experiment and usually succeed. Then some experts instruct the team to double their time.

Now they say the manager (boss) is crazy. Finally, the victorious team must join forces and have one person sweep the ball and touch the hands (this is where you want the team to eventually get to.

Think: we need to change our mindset. Simplicity will win, no doubt.

How?

1. Take a figurative weed killer to your old methods. Be bold when you simplify.

That is, don’t hold back simply because you’ve always done it that way.

2. Communicate briefly.

Plus, say anything you want to say on a bumper sticker.

3. Think about your audience.

The point of reference is usually a smart, retired 95-year-old mother. However, is it simple enough for her to understand even if she has no previous experience?

4. Simplify all decision making

Who is the decision maker at the lowest level?

5. Strive for results. Simplicity goals.

However, time is money, so act appropriately.

6. Determine your requirements.

Do we need it? What can we do? How can we accelerate? Reuse the surplus for good.

7. Get an overview of your processes

Investigate it with a neutral party. Someone who believes in simplicity.

8. Be brave in the scenes. No overload of conversations or processes at work

Say no to complications.

9. Accept flaws.

The pursuit of perfection is precious. One and done is a good motto. Or it doesn’t have to be perfect.

10. Finally, review your to-do list and prioritize tasks.

That is, delete meetings, reports, etc. and observe if anyone notices/needs them.

Defend simplicity.

An expert opinion indicates that reducing the minutes needed for processes, meetings and perfect projects will greatly benefit your company, employees and shareholders.

Think: Like a Zen Master

How easy can you make scheduling a meeting? And how can you introduce disruptive simplicity into every meeting? Impossible? unproductive? unAmerican? Nonsense. Decide to become one of the best businessmen – and think like a Zen master.

Think: Like Henry Ford

Henry Ford, for example, set an egg time in meetings. Ten minutes. When it went off, he left. Anything undecided or unexplained went to him as a memo. Ford executives were known for the brevity of their meetings. And Henry smiled all the way to the bank. You can do the same.

Image Credit: Jeffrey Czum; Pexels; Thank you!

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