If you want to sound smart, just say “Well, it’s complex” with a sagacious nod.
If you want to be an effective leader or teacher, wrestle with the complexity to find the simplicity on the far side of the complexity. Don’t settle for “simplistic” on the near side of complexity, because that doesn’t help you or anyone else.
There is enormous power in simplifying:
- The business that absorbs complexity and can give customers a simple experience will rule a market.
- Leaders who craft a clear explanation to frame the right actions in the face of complexity will have an attentive audience.
Jesus was asked “What is the greatest commandment?” (There were 613 commandments in Jewish Law.) He said that “love God” and “love your neighbor” are the foundation for all the rest. That’s a powerful example of simplification without being simplistic.
Simple-but-deep resonates with people. Simple-but-deep lasts. The most profound scientific truths are simple (e=mc2). The best moral lessons are captured in easy-to-remember proverbs. All our beloved stories follow a small number of simple frameworks.
The world is truly complex. There are an unknown but large number of interlocking systems; we don’t even know all the parts, let alone who they relate to one another. It’s difficult, often impossible, to make predictions.
How do we navigate the complex world? We obey the simple commands on the far side of that complexity. This is true at every age, and in every age. Consider these simple behaviors which lead to success:
Health: Drink water. Sleep 8 hours a night. Exercise to strengthen your body. Wash your hands. Brush your teeth. Eat appropriate portions, including your fruits and vegetables. Get a physical and follow your doctor’s advice. Laugh.
Finance: Spend less than you earn. Create an emergency cash fund. Diversify your investments. Get life insurance. Be generous with your wealth.
Relationships: Tell the truth. Put others first. Keep your promises. Be a good friend. Smile!
All of these represent simplicity on the far side of complexity. Your body is complex and ever-changing, but these behaviors are effective at every age. You’ll go through decades of change in your financial picture, but these actions are reliable. People are messy and impossible to fully understand, but simple choices strengthen relationships.
One problem with simple is… we seem addicted to the complex. We actively search out messy and difficult while we think, “It can’t be this simple.” We often look for way to claim something was not fully our responsibility. This, plus the natural tendency for us to fall away from practicing even good habits, leads us into a mess.
Therefore, we need to support simplicity with reminders, suggestions, and reinforcing experiences (do this simple thing, here’s a desirable result!). Most of all we need patience. It takes time to develop clarity and simplicity in a noisy, complex world.
Leading, teaching, managing projects and people, and all character-formation are based in the craft of simplification.
Don’t use complexity as an excuse to skip doing the simple things we know work well. Focus on the simple behaviors which are proven to lead to success.
