As leaders, we’re often pulled in a thousand directions. The more we grow, the more complex our systems become—until we reach a point where that complexity becomes our biggest bottleneck.
Let’s get this straight: it doesn’t matter how many people you have on payroll. If your systems are convoluted, you’re losing time, money, and talent. I’ve seen too many businesses drown in their own procedures. And yes, I’m writing my next book about this very topic—but that’s a story for another day.
Here’s something to chew on.
Imagine hiring someone to handle a core task in your company. Now imagine they need to learn a 27-step process just to do that one thing.
Your competitor? They’ve refined it to 5 steps.
Who’s going to onboard faster? Who’s going to deliver more consistent results? Who’s going to train their replacements more effectively? Who’s going to scale with less friction?
Exactly.
Simplification isn’t sexy, however it’s powerful. It creates clarity, and clarity creates velocity. Don’t get me wrong—simplifying your business isn’t easy. It requires what I call “deep work.” You’ll need to invest serious thinking time to peel away the layers of unnecessary complexity. But the rewards? They’re exponential.
So where should you start?
Begin with your operating rhythm. That’s your daily, weekly, monthly, quarterly, and annual flow of meetings, decisions, and actions. If that cadence is bloated or inconsistent, everything else will follow suit. Simplify your rhythm, and you simplify execution. Period.
When systems become simpler, people become more productive—and business becomes unstoppable.
Let’s not wait until complexity costs us everything. Start trimming today. Your future self—and your team—will thank you.