It's too Complex
For one reason or another we live in a complex world. Be it in business, politics or even domestic life things are not the same as they used to be. Complexity is getting in the way, slowing us down, costing time and money and preventing us from finding the right solutions.
So how can we reduce complexity at least in business?
- Create modular structures (separation) when introducing new initiatives so that if the new initiative needs to be cut later, it can be a clean breakaway.
- Adopt simple principles that are transparent, easy to follow, non-contradictory and don’t have unintended consequences for everything else that already exists.
- Foster a bias for change and encourage change as a means for improvement.
- Relax control which is counter to a natural tendency of people who enjoy asserting control.
- Repair or prune any rules which impede people from achieving the wider objectives of the business.
Reference: “In Business, Complexity Gets Bad Press”, Martin Reeves, Harvard Business Review, February 2020”