In a complex world, keep it simple - and clear

"Keep it simple. It's that simple!"

Or is it? Let's think this through. Here is what I know. Life is complex. Organizations are complex and complexity can be confusing. The job of a leader is to simplify complexity. Unless complexity is simplified, understanding will be foggy and foggy understanding leads to confusion.

The most difficult job for leaders is to cut through the confusion and the noise to bring clarity to situations they face. Why is it difficult? It means that leaders need to take the time to fully understand a situation they face, ask the right questions and be clear about the potential solutions.

How does an organizational leader simplify? They bring clarity to issues the organization faces. Clarity is the key to simplicity. Simplicity is the key to common understanding.

I have long been an advocate that leaders  must bring clarity to the mission of an organization - Why they exist, to the guiding principles that guide an organization - how they do what they do, to the culture of the organziation - what is acceptable and what is not and to the central focus - what we need to do day in and day out. 

Ironically, that clarity brings a level of simplicity to everyday decisions in the organization. It clarifies our focus, our behaviors, our day to day work and the culture we are committed to. You say, that sounds simple. The hard part is getting to that simplicity and that clarity because you must make choices and define focus and behaviors. But once done, you have a clear, simple message on important issues for all of your staff. 

When there is not such clarity that can be expressed in easy to understand - simple - ways, people make up their own clarity and soon you have multiple versions of clarity running around making for complexity and ultimately confusion. This is way too common in the business, non-profit and church world.

When that clarity does not exist in simple language, it means leaders have not done their most important work. 

How do you know if you have clarity? If you were to ask members of your staff about mission, guiding principles, focus and culture would you receive clear common answers? Could they explain these with a level of simplicity? Does the organization live by the commitments they have made? If not, those commitments were not simple enough, communicated clearly enough or they were words on paper and not commitments in reality.

Simplicity is not possible without clarity. Clarity is not possible without hard work to get it clear and communicate it with simplicity. When both are present you have the best possibility of an aligned organization. 

Make things clear and keep them simple.