Simplicity: why is it important?

 

Simplifying complicated things should be our primary goal for success.

 

In 2009, when I initially assumed the role of project manager, My boss at the time, who was in charge of deliveries, didn’t waste any time. He exposed me to the world of executive management.

 

During the initial internal status review meeting, I vividly recall. His gaze was fixed on me even before I raised my pen to sketch the MoM. “Remember, my little one, in the corporate world, you’ll meet real people and those who play the game,” he warned. Choose your path right now.”

 

Unlike most people, he hated drawn-out arguments, lengthy speeches, and meetings where important decisions had to be made. Fooling about or being tricked never pleased him. His forte was making decisions, especially major corporate ones. In less than ten minutes, he would decide on a million-dollar project. [I’m not making this up; he’s always made major judgements in under 20 minutes.]

 

Even now, when I consider his decisions from the past, I can see how impulsive he was. He exhibited a lot of brazenness, irresponsibility, and even madness on occasion. But I assure you, it was not. Every step of the way consisted of pure science.

 

Among his many leadership qualities, “a bias towards action” stood out. You may also call him “a verb”.

His worst adversary was inaction. He realized that standing perplexed over a decision was a surefire losing approach. Not liking being passed by rivals was his Achilles’ heel. Because of this, he was always prepared for the unexpected.

 

In cricketing terms, I would say that MS. Dhoni made one such decisive move at the 2007 ICC Twenty20 World Cup.

 

Simplicity: How is it done?

How did people like my boss, Dhoni, and countless others acquire the extraordinary talent of making decisive decisions in a flash?

 

Some insights came to me as I read “In Search Of Excellence” by business tycoon Tom Peters. His narration centres on the essential abilities necessary for making decisions. I want to emphasise these 4 elements from the book to show how easy decision-making is.

 

Step One for Simplicity

To begin with, wise decision-makers always have timely access to accurate information.

 

I recall my first boss taking the lead on a major Blu-Ray player contract with SONY Corp in 2004. It was a time of fight between Blu-ray and HD-DVD. In less than twenty minutes, he reached a decision. How? He had a thorough analysis that went to the heart of the department’s SWOT. Thus, he could point to a decision that made sense to him and everyone else. He just reviewed the transaction, asked a few pointed questions, and voila!

 

Decision made.

 

Of course, he had to trust the one-page SWOT report that my colleague and I had created. The report’s usefulness was unclear to us until the day of the meeting. Approximately eight to ten revisions were made to this report. Countless Excel spreadsheets, complex algorithms for calculating numbers, facts, and suggestions.

 

Step Two

Even though that one pager was crucial to his decision-making in this situation, Whom did he assign that task to? This leads me to our second point: exceptional decision-makers know how to staff their teams with the proper mix of skills and quantity.

 

Prior to this discussion, I was elevated to project manager from lead two months ago. It was my job to handle the facts carefully, and I was good at making them look much better. This gave him faith in my ability to do an objective analysis for a large team. There was complete objectivity on my part, as I had no clue about its intended use.

 

Step Three

Third, there’s the intangible, or gut feeling, element.

 

The ICC Twenty20 World Cup scenario from 2007 is one that I enjoy reusing. Determine who should bowl the final over. He possessed the courage to do it, MS. He was brave because he followed his gut. Courage to translate a sentiment into an award-winning choice. Embracing the inevitable ups and downs is what makes sports so exciting. In addition, competent decision makers must have a high level of self-confidence.

 

Simplicity: Final Step

Organisational and structural simplicity – the fourth element

 

It took me a while to realize that too much complexity is not beneficial. Organizations that deal with enormous data, complicated teams, or cumbersome processes only impede the doers. Most successful organisations do one thing correctly, according to Tom Peters’s book. They have the ability to simplify things to the point where they can streamline.

 

Particularly, “action devises that simplify their systems and foster a restless organisational stance by clarifying which numbers really count or arbitrarily limiting the length of the goal list.”

The best leaders of all time had a knack for making quick and easy decisions. They were successful in getting the right person to complete the “one pager” at the appropriate time. Simplicity, rather than complexity, was the process they trusted the most.

 

Peters also sums up his opinion on the bias towards action – “Ready. Fire. Aim. Learn from your mistakes. That’s enough.”

 

Discord results from missing one of these four factors. Decisions are either slowed down or made more difficult as a result of their interference.

 

What did I say to my first manager? “I want to be a doer” was the clear and concise message.

 

Despite the presence of numerous imposters among my fellow revellers, the decision I made that day has proven to be fruitful. Throughout these years, I have stayed motivated by the gratification I get from my tiny contributions to major decisions.

 

So, which one are you leaning towards?