Frans van der Reep

Choosing simplicity…

and leaving complexity behind

Simplicity is about subtracting the obvious and adding the meaningful – J. Maeda

In the stream of the overwhelming business changes caused by social media it might be very useful to go back to the core question: what problem did we want to solve by this? We are all human beings and in our way of thinking and acting we frequently tend to stop asking this vital question. But as you know, life is too short to spoil time on rubbish represented by useless rules and regulations or unnecessary cost increase caused by missing trust and discontent process organization. Don’t spoil your time on a reorganization without a clear purpose,  and just ment to prove loyalty to the superior.

It is about time to ask the WHY question, Why did we do that? It’s time to leave behind the unnecessary and bottomless complexity and go to the roots of the essential WHY question.  Experience shows that the answer on the question is frequently the key to simple and practical solutions. It’s time to say good bye to the complexity.

Simplicity can be sometimes pretty complex. In order to be able to come up with a simple and effective solution you firstly need a deep understanding of the problem and second second not to underestimate how much our ego keeps fighting back. Not very illogical: you have been studying,  got your diploma and last but not least have been spending lots of time thinking about possible  answers.  And  in the end a simple paperclip seemed to be the solution!  The movie “Lorenzo’s oil”  illustrates what kind of tensions can be caused between a simple solution and the complexity of the  scientific analysis. In the end of the extended analysis there  was the conclusion that  olive oil was  the medicine needed. The scientists found it too difficult to believe and to accept.

Simplicity and dynamism  belong obviously  together. In such a dynamic world  a long-term ERP implementation simply can’t be permitted.

Many consultants know the  phenomenon of complexity nourished by  the ego what enables them  to earn  money by responding to the management’s  vanity for their own ends by selling them impressive sounding and complex  solutions. Don’t do that!

Changing the point of view could be the second way of going back to the WHY question. Therefore of course lots of courage and knowledge is needed. Through integration of social media into business  and everyday’s life you will  be changing your point of view frequently . Just remember, if you will not be doing it, there will be somebody else who will be.

A practical example of how this approach can be integrated into life shows the following formula, as developed by Hans Kooistra

Effectiveness = (drive*capability*discipline)

                                     Ego

So simple is that. A lower ego increases  the effectiveness.

Simplicity.  Social media and the turbulent changes related to their expansion put  the WHY question on the agenda, which of course will open a door to a variety of  different solutions. Remember, that we desperately need simple solutions in our life.

I wish you a lot of success  on this way !