It’s essential to Simplify!

We are living in a world that seems increasingly complex. For business leaders all the more so. When things are complex, the kind of emotions we generate are very different from the kind of emotions that get generated when things are simple — And these result in different outcomes as well.

Complexity clouds visibility. Complexity thrashes initiative. Complexity impairs motivation. It’s difficult to inspire someone when things are quite complex for ourselves. Complexity stymies action.

As a leader, it’s essential to simplify; for oneself, and for the teams, So that visibility improves, initiatives thrive and motivation sustains.

When we simplify, things get done. When we simplify, we are effective, more productive, less stressed.

The question is how do I unpack my complexities? How do I simplify?

Here’s a 2 step process!

Step 1 — Identify what’s most important to you.

Step 2 — Eliminate everything else.

The best way to simplify things is to get clarity on what’s truly important for us. What really matters the most; And eliminate everything else. Ruthlessly.

Warren buffet was once asked how to set goals in life. He asked the gathering to write down their 25 most important goals in a sheet of paper. Then he asked them to circle the most important 5 goals out of that. Then came the distilled wisdom. He asked them to work on those 5 goals and eliminate, forget, the other 20.

Simple is wise, simple is sensible. Simple is not easy.

Steve Jobs once said — ‘Simple can be harder than complex. You have to work hard to get your thinking clean to make it simple. But it’s worth it in the end, because once you get there you can move mountains’.

The best way to simplify things is to get clarity on what’s truly important for us. What really matters the most; And eliminate everything else. Ruthlessly.

#scaleup #leadership #ceo

[If you want to discuss any specific questions that you may have on scaling-up your business, write to me at pk@pknarayanan.com]