When we confront complex issues, our inclination might be to overcomplicate the solution process, thinking that adding more layers of complexity will help untangle the problem. However, the truth often lies in simplifying the problem to its essential elements.
I often say: “You can’t solve a complex problem with more complexity. You can’t help confuse people with greater complexity.”
Imagine a leadership team tasked with understanding a company’s declining performance and profitability. Often, the immediate response might involve intricate financial models and data analytics.
However, a sage-based analysis might take a different approach, getting back to evidence-based fundamentals as fast as possible.
You can't solve a complex problem with more complexity. You can't help confused people with greater complexity.
By distilling these fundamental aspects, they might uncover the root causes with more clarity than an overly complex analysis could provide.
When an organization faces declining productivity and engagement, leaders might be tempted to introduce a host of elaborate solutions—new software, training modules, or management frameworks.
This is a common situation, building a preconceived solution into the articulation of the problem. This takes the form of “we need to implement new procedures, or give our team more training in …, or install a new software system, and so on.
It might go a little like this “We plan to run a project to implement ABC customer relationship management software so we can manage our customer relationships more efficiently and effectively.”
The solution has been hard-wired into the problem – this is a mistake.
A better and deeper statement would be “We plan to run a project to find out why our customers don’t stay with us for as long as we think they should.”
A sage leader takes a step back to challenge paradigms and find the fundamental changes that will yield more significant improvements than complicated strategies.
The allure of complexity often disguises the straightforward solutions that reside beneath the surface. Many business challenges—whether in finance, operations, or interpersonal dynamics—can benefit from a shift toward simplicity. Sage problem-solvers understand that complexity doesn’t always equate to depth or accuracy; it often leads to confusion and inefficiency.
The first step is simply to breathe. There is power in a pause.
Organizations rush to outcomes and miss the most important step: stop. Understand. Be aware of what is actually happening. Understand the chaos. Remain powerfully calm.
The key to embracing practical simplicity is not adding chaos to chaos.
I’ve spent the past two decades working with some of the most extraordinary leaders on complex, critical tasks, projects, and ideas. What I have learned is that “doing” is valued more than “thinking” in almost every circumstance, but this never leads to the desired outcome.
The answer is to keep your key decision-makers “above the line,” mastering the art of levels of thinking, understanding deeply how Context leads to Concept, and finally Content, moving the line of thinking between these functions to catalyze success under any circumstance.
The skill of any wise leader is to be able to move The Line, at will, up and down the hierarchy of thinking and bring everyone with you.
That’s calm. Simple. And ultimately, what always wins.
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