why simple wins: escape the complexity trap and get to work that matters
TRANSCRIPT
Presenting Today
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Erin BoettgeContent Marketing Manager,
Lisa BodellCEO and Author
FutureThink@LisaBodell
BizLibrary helps organizations succeed by improving the way employees learn.
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EMAILS SENT & RECEIVED EVERY DAY100 billion
Source: McKinsey Global Institute
SPENT ON EMAIL EVERY YEAR600 hours
OF WHICH ARE ACTUALLY IMPORTANT83 hours
SO BUSY THAT…
Source: 2013 GALLUP GLOBAL SURVEY
NO TIME FOR MEANINGFUL ACTIVITIES SUCH AS CREATIVE THINKING“
”LITTLE CHANCE TO DO WORK THEY ACTUALLY ENJOYED“
”LOW LEVEL OF MEANING AND SIGNIFICANCE IN THEIR WORK“
”
Insecure managers create complexity. Frightened, nervous managers use thick, convoluted planning books and busy slides filled with everything they’ve known since childhood.
Jack Welch
“ “
HAVE YOU CONTRIBUTED TO COMPLEXITY?
YES NO
I often send emails that are longer than 1 paragraph and/or require significant time to read.
Emails I send usually include more than 3 CC’s or BCC’s.
I expect my employees to put my projects first regardless of their workload.
I often use business jargon and buzzwords in my communication.
I require my team members to involve me in all the decisions they make.
HAVE YOU CONTRIBUTED TO COMPLEXITY?
YES NO
I’m frequently too busy to provide feedback or actions on reports/presentations that I assign.
I expect employees to follow formal processes no matter what.
I (or my team) consistently strive to add new processes, products, procedures to our work. It is rare we eliminate things.
I hold multiple recurring meetings with my team.
I require my team to create multiple, recurring reports.
HAVE YOU CONTRIBUTED TO COMPLEXITY?
# YES: YOU ARE: DESCRIPTION:
1 to 2 RELATIVELY SIMPLIFIED Aligned, focused on what matters
3 to 4 OPPORTUNITY TO SIMPLIFY Functioning but impacting morale, needs review
5+ COMPLEX Bottlenecks, inconsistencies, unnecessary work
LOWER ENGAGEMENT
13%SATISFIED NOT FOCUSED
ON CREATING VALUE
87%
COSTING$550B
ANNUALLY
RESULT: LACK OF PRESENCE, COMPLACENCY
DEFINING SIMPLICITYDOCUMENTATION SIMPLIFICATIONS MANUFACTURING SIMPLIFICATIONS
Design Simplifications Process Simplifications
General Simplifications Program Simplifications
Systems Simplifications Procedural Simplifications
Travel Simplifications Platform Simplifications
Initiative Simplifications Product Development Simplifications
Reporting Simplifications Packaging Simplifications
Financial Management Simplifications Training Simplifications
Workplace Simplifications Work Simplifications
DEFINING SIMPLICITYDOCUMENTATION SIMPLIFICATIONS MANUFACTURING SIMPLIFICATIONS
Design Simplifications Process Simplifications
General Simplifications Program Simplifications
Systems Simplifications Procedural Simplifications
Travel Simplifications Platform Simplifications
Initiative Simplifications Product Development Simplifications
Reporting Simplifications Packaging Simplifications
Financial Management Simplifications Training Simplifications
Workplace Simplifications Work Simplifications
DEFINING SIMPLICITYDOCUMENTATION SIMPLIFICATIONS MANUFACTURING SIMPLIFICATIONS
Design Simplifications Process Simplifications
General Simplifications Program Simplifications
Systems Simplifications Procedural Simplifications
Travel Simplifications Platform Simplifications
Initiative Simplifications Product Development Simplifications
Reporting Simplifications Packaging Simplifications
Financial Management Simplifications Training Simplifications
Workplace Simplifications Work Simplifications
IDENTIFY AREAS TO SIMPLIFY
DESIRED WORKTYPICAL TASKS
o Creating new product sales report
o Setting up progress meetings
o Brainstorming new revenue ideas
o Attending client meetings
LOW
VA
LUE
HIG
H
COMPLEX/VALUABLE SIMPLE/VALUABLE
COMPLEX/NOT VALUABLE
XSIMPLE/NOT VALUABLE
?VERY COMPLEX VERY SIMPLESIMPLICITY
Simplification Code of Conduct
I COMMIT TO SIMPLIFYING EVERYTHING I DO.
This means I will:
1. Eliminate redundancies and unnecessary work – and empower my team to do the same.2. Not create false urgency.3. Push back if I think something is unnecessary.4. Use clear, jargon-free language when I communicate.5. Keep my emails, documents, meetings, and conversations short.6. Be decisive and limit the amount of information I need to make a decision.7. Empower others to make decisions without me.8. Make information available to others (unless illegal).9. Say No whenever possible.
Signature Date
• Hired Chief Simplicity Officers
• Formalized programs and simplification teams
• Made simplification a core part of their corporate strategy
• Taken back their time and eliminated distractions
SMART COMPANIES ARE DOING IT
FutureThink QuickWin Series
1. Absurd hero2. Backcasting3. Busting Paradigm4. Customer Day in the Life5. Do Better Thinking6. Follow Smart People7. Futures Wheel8. Getting Ahead of Emerging Issues9. Little Bigs: Change the Environment10. Little Bigs: Eliminate11. Little Bigs: Pictures Not Words12. Pain to Gain13. Scanning for Change Using TwitterAnd Many More…….
FutureThink Tool School Series
1. Assumption Reversal2. Forced Connections3. Hunting Ground4. Kill a Stupid Rule5. Pain to Gain6. Plus 3, Minus 37. Portfolio Balancing8. PPCO9. The Art of Brainstorming10. Who Else? Where Else?11. Within Adjacent and Beyond