Clarity of Simplicity
Spotting the critical issues, separating the wheat from the chaff easily to pinpoint the fundamentals
Take a strategic lead. Draw on your facility to spot the essentials to control the agenda. Most people, most of the time, are caught up in the pressing problems of the moment. If you can stand back to “paint the big picture” and outline a coherent vision of the future, you will establish a powerful platform to shape events.
Eliminate the “rubbish”. Much organisational life is caught up in activity which has little to do with the purpose of making a return to shareholders by delivering value to customers, and more to do with the personal aspirations and insecurities of its leaders and the political gamesmanship of competing interests. Know the fundamentals of what really matters to your organisation and where it needs to direct its efforts. And get rid of everything else.
Introduce a “no bullshit” programme in life. Zero in on the essentials of life.
- begin with yourself: am I clear about my own personal goals? am I making progress to achieve them? Or am I wasting time on the trivial that isn’t getting me anywhere?
- then think about your partner: is this relationship working for both of us? Yes, terrific, what can we do to make it better? If it isn’t, is there the commitment to make it work? If there isn’t, what are the options for us to end it with dignity?
- your work colleagues: are my colleagues performing productively to advance my goals? Or, are they coasting along, taking advantage of my good nature and undermining my plans?
- your other life pursuits: am I living a full life or is my energy dominated by work concerns and career ambitions? What do I need to do to achieve a better life balance? What do I need to stop doing to create time for other interests and activities in life?
Work through the full range of your life activities and relationships to conduct a full “bull-shit” test to clarify the essentials and where you need to direct greater effort.
Are you confusing others? Your personal talent in conceptual thinking can paradoxically create complexity for others. What makes sense for you, what creates order and sense out of the messiness of life may make life even more complicated and confusing for others. Or, put more simply, they don’t what the hell you’re talking about. You do, they don’t. Know the one thing that matters to others, that single theme that you need to communicate to attract attention and build commitment. Don’t confuse others with your speculative ideas and abstract theories.
Not every proposal is a metaphysical question. Some proposals are straightforward requiring a simple “yes – no” decision. Don’t turn them into complex points of principle, precedent or policy involving extended debate. Typically, the decision isn’t taken and an opportunity is lost.
“Know the one thing” but don’t be simplistic. Not every life problem can be reduced to a single cause or respond to a standard solution. Most problems, the messy problems we typically encounter, are a mix of elements, with different causes and connected to other even messier problems with unpredictable consequences. There are no “off the shelf” solutions. Be willing to accommodate uncertainty and ambiguity. See the shades of grey rather than think “black and white”.
Look through the right window. The window frame defines what you see and what you don’t see. How you “frame” a problem creates your world-view, your perception of the essential aspects of the problem and which you tend to ignore. This world-view also generates the options you consider and those that you dismiss or which don’t even register on your radar screen. So check which window you’re looking through. How big is it? Can you see through it clearly? Review how your past experiences, career history and current priorities are influencing your “window on the world”. Do you need to shift your assumptions to find a “window” that is giving you a better perspective on life.
“So what”? As Einstein pointed out, “there is nothing more practical than a good theory.” A powerful theory has practical implications. Ensure then that your thought processes always conclude with “what’s next”. If there is no obvious “what’s next”, the chances are that you’re using the wrong theory.
Keep up to date. Don’t rely on a world-view which no longer takes into account new ideas, facts and evidence. There are timeless truths and enduring principles. But their meaningful application depends on an up-to-date understanding of the world “as it is”. Accept that the world in which you formulated your existing beliefs and opinions has moved on. Keep your thinking fresh and original.
Is it working? Don’t get caught up in a position based on your view of what “ought to be”, driven by your theory of what should happen in the ideal world. Live in the world “as is”, a world which is complex, messy and unpredictable and doesn’t remember to operate to your theory. If your theory isn’t working, don’t “blame” the world. Change your theory to get a better model to make sense of what’s happening. Keep it real. Conceptual frameworks and theoretical models can possess powerful explanatory power to make sense of life’s complexity. But the map is not reality. Don’t get so caught up in the conceptual world of brainstorming, flipcharts, statistical analysis and project methodology that you lose sight of life’s realities. Do a reality check. Go out and spend time at the “coal face and front line”, listening to the genuine concerns and worries of employees. Check that your “theory” is an accurate reflection of the pressures of working life.
“The best laid plans of mice and men.” Don’t operate in the abstract world of project management systems. “Roll up your sleeves” to get close to the pressures and priorities of your colleagues who are grappling with the practical problems of implementation. Don’t assume your detailed project charts will accommodate the hazards that need to be overcome. They won’t. Most plans fail. So, anticipate the problems and be proactive in resolving potential blockages quickly.
Don’t think too much. The capacity to see the full range of issues is an important life skill. But not if it gets in the way of action. Don’t be too clever that you can weigh up the opportunities and risks of different options, but do nothing. Sometimes this kind of analysis can only see the problems. Be willing to go with your “gut” sometimes to do what feels best.
Manage the messy people stuff. Human nature can’t be slotted easily into a strategic game plan or project plan. When things go wrong, the reason can invariably be tracked back to the “people factor”. Don’t allow your theories slot people into your conceptual map. Engage with the realities of human nature “as is” not as you would like it to be.
Conclude meetings with “OK, let’s do it” or “OK, let’s forget it”. Whatever you do bring meetings to a conclusion. Don’t keep talking and allowing the debate to go round and round with no outcome. If it’s a good idea, find ways to make it work and gain commitments to make it happen. And if the idea will never happen, say so or encourage others to highlight their concerns openly, and move on to other activities. Don’t waste your and others’ time by stalling or putting off difficult decisions.