Complexity Made Simple

How many times have we seen people take a simple task and drag it out making it look so much more difficult than it truly is?  Perhaps they were not clear on the assignment or maybe they were given insufficient instruction?  Some just like to take the long way around to kill time.

Life is filled with complexities.  This was never clearer to me than when I recently underwent surgery and a subsequent hospital stay.  Watching all the swirling parts moving around me (people and technology) was amazing and humbling.  Nine (9) people were in the Operating Room all with different specific tasks to accomplish.  As a team they worked methodically step, by step for hours until they achieved their goals and completed a very complex operation.  No one person could have accomplished the overall objective, but each knew their part very well and performed with excellence to cross the finish line with the best results.

Why is simplification better for everyone?  No one person can be proficient at all things.  Finding what an employee can be good at and training them in that area with a simple and consistent process, allows for the completion of greater assignments and handling of increased volume.

Although most fields of endeavor are not as complex as healthcare, creating a system or a process for each area of the organization can help a business thrive, especially in a highly competitive market.  Many entrepreneurs do what they do without much thought of efficiency.  Too often we find ourselves doing something in a way that is not the most effective, but that’s how we have been doing it since we started.  Analyzing the way, we sell or deliver a product or service is essential and can improve productivity and therefore enhance the bottom line.  

The best business example of simplification may be in franchising.  The most successful and profitable franchises have taken tasks like making a burger or frying chicken and created systems where anyone can be trained to do it right.  Duplicating the same product over and over creates consistency for clients and productivity for your company.  This can only be done when the process is refined, clearly defined and then taught so that workers can duplicate the success over and over.

Developing simplified systems that anyone can follow will enhance the productivity of an organization.  There should be a good reason for why you do things the way you do and when you have it just right, you need to teach it to others.  Training is key and the practices should be written and impressed upon each member of the team.   Tell them, show them, have them do it, are three simple steps to be sure every person on your staff knows their responsibilities and executes their portion of the work with integrity ensuring the best results.

“The definition of genius is taking the complex and making it simple.” ― Albert Einstein