How to Simplify in the Extreme
Sometimes you're thrown into a situation that makes a mess of your well-laid plans. And sometimes you're thrown into a situation that's ten times more complicated than that. Perhaps budgets are being slashed at the company where you work... and fast. Or the stock market... well... we don't need to go into that. We've all seen the wild ride the stock market offers at times.
Or a key member of your company or team decides to move to another company. Even worse, they've been lured away by your key competitor. And you don't have anyone to backfill their knowledge and customer connections.
Or an always-healthy loved one is suddenly rushed to the hospital. In chaotic times what do you do to simplify the chaos? And not just simplify, but as is often required in such unwieldy and unpredictable times, to simplify in the extreme? Try one or more of these four steps:
1. Focus on one priority. Yes, just ONE priority. When you're trying to right a world that has turned upside down, you don't need the drag and confusion of trying to juggle multiple goals. Like a laser beam, narrow your focus to a single point, your sole priority for now.
2. Let go. Say no. The only way you're going to let go is to say no. And if that's not easy for you, well, frankly, that's tough. You need the skill of clearing out the underbrush and letting go of extraneous things for now. You find in extreme simplification times that what was once important - and may be again later - is far from a priority now. Practice the word, "No," until you can say it with the calm confidence to back it up.
3. Pay attention. You need easy-to-gather information that will tell you if you're getting back on track. Figure out a few key indicators you can count on. These measures are like the dials and knobs on the control panel. Then pay attention. Use them. Simply, consistently.
4. Follow up. Take the time to see how things are working... or to face the facts that they aren't yet. If the action you're taking isn't taking you where you need to go, adjust, again. And again, if you must. Your world will right itself, but it needs your help. Simplify, in the extreme. Jan Richards mentors and provides online training for leaders and teams who want to change or improve, but the desired change hasn't happened yet, for any of many reasons.
An experienced entrepreneur and business consultant, Jan has led many teams and businesses through major change and improvement projects. She is based in the always-rapidly changing Silicon Valley and San Francisco Bay area. Her clients include large and small companies, primarily in tech, biotech, financial services, and telecommunications. She has an MBA from UC Berkeley and a BS in journalism from Iowa State. She was a national examiner for the Malcolm Baldrige National Quality Award for five years.