Simple

There’s an attraction to making things complicated.

I get that. It makes you feel smart and capable. You can feel pride in being the best.

But it surprises me how often it helps to go the other direction – make things as simple as they can be. This is especially true in leadership.

Sure, there are probably a whole lot of details in what we do. And it’s crucial to do those things well, because the competition is always nipping at our heels. Customers will leave if we aren’t committed to excellent execution.

But that’s management more than leadership.

Leadership is about gathering us all together to be inspired and committed to our shared purpose. Perhaps that’s having the most excellent products in our industry. Or celebrating every time we win a new smiling customer. Or being super efficient.

Whatever that purpose is, the core is amazingly simple. Everything else supports that goal and builds toward it.

Let’s keep it as uncomplicated as we can.