5 WAYS TO CREATE SIMPLICITY IN YOUR LEADERSHIP

5 WAYS TO CREATE SIMPLICITY IN YOUR LEADERSHIP Simplicity is something every leader desire but some does not always understand how to create it. For successful leadership, you must try as much as possible to get rid of complexity and maximize simplicity. Simplicity is success best mate! Even though complexity is rapidly hitting us – in our dynamic workplace and our personal lives – we want to cut it out before it takes over our primary purpose and mission. And the best way to ensure this is creating simplicity in our day-to-day operations. In this article, I will take you through 5 powerful strategies to create simplicity. 1. Clearly outline your goals Any organization or company looking to employ simplicity should first put across explicit goals or objectives. Goals should be hinged on boosting sales, getting new customers, eliminating outdated systems, etc. Regardless of the kind of leadership, maximize on prioritizing what’s most vital to your followers/employees before attempting to achieve more with less. You want to keep a short goals’ list – a large to-do list is just counterproductive to simplicity. Focus on facilitating sections of your company that is generating cash and eradicating those wasting it. With fewer projects to concentrate on, you will efficiently and effectively complete one at a time. Moreover, details will not get overlooked as employees will have enough on their plates. 2. Identify the obstacles After deciding fundamental goals, companies should further determine the main challenges bringing about complexity. Now that this part calls for hard work, company leaders require to analyze and record ‘pain points’ along with their implications extensively. Is the internal system of communication slow? Are the marketing messages in line with the company’s mission or vision? To grow simplicity, figure out what business areas require the most improvement. 3. Choose a strategy You want to select a simple process, technology, or tool that will address the challenges and contribute to achieving goals. If you implement a new complex solution, employee will not respond well and fast to it. Consider applying discipline, patience together with strength – the 3 components employed during decision making surrounding simplicity. 4. Leadership development Come up with leadership competency or principle that sets company expectations towards attaining simplicity. The Economist Intelligence Unit report claims that leadership decisions on processes and structures (including follow-through on them) are key to getting rid of complexity. Ideally, if leadership fails, your efforts to achieve simplicity also fails. I highly recommend the company should outline leadership actions and behaviors required to not only bridge the gap but also measure the leaders on their achievement. This can be facilitated by deploying employee surveys, holding them responsible through the process of performance management. Also, establish leadership development programs supporting the education of actions and behaviors required to attain simplicity. 5. Mentoring As a competent leader, I would include mentors who precisely model simplicity behaviors. Behaviors can involve focus, trust, addressing problems’ root causes, and not over-engineering. Learning through mentors or role models will effectively retain information as well as change behavior. Moreover, consider creating a simple mentor database that employees wanting a mentor can freely browse and choose from depending on their interests and availability. Change is not always the key! While change is ultimately essential in most cases, sometimes it “gives birth” to complexity. I would advise leaders to always challenge themselves before altering anything in their organizations. Will the change work? Is change really necessary? If change is a MUST, how can I come up with a strategy that only favors simplicity direction even if it requires sacrificing something else? Creating or attaining simplicity isn’t easy, but a strong, well-thought plan backed up with my professional advice will change things from complex to simple. Call right now and get a strategy session with me in order to effectively build a simplistic approach in your business and life. Sources - https://www.forbes.com/sites/glennllopis/2013/09/23/6-ways-to-make-your-leadership-and-workplace-fun-again/#4baf208019ae - https://www.coachwell.com/simplicity-in-leadership/