“If you can’t explain it simply, you probably don’t understand it.”
Now that you’ve stared the chaos in the face, it’s time to grab the machete.
Simplify is where you cut the nonsense.
Processes grow like weeds: every new rule, approval, or Excel file was added “temporarily” and then stayed forever, that’s the law of bureaucracy.
Simplifying means asking:
“What would happen if we just didn’t do this step anymore?”
Spoiler: nothing.
What “Simplify” really means
It’s not about cutting corners. It’s about cutting confusion.
Simplify means removing waste: steps, roles, tools, or reports that don’t add value.
Look for:
- Redundant approvals
- Manual data copying
- Tools that overlap
- Unclear ownership (“we thought they were doing it”)
How to do It without starting a riot
- Question everything politely.
Don’t say “this is dumb.” Say “is this step still adding value?” Same impact, fewer enemies. - Time every step.
Once you see that 70% of process time is waiting for someone to answer an email, simplification ideas write themselves. - Remove or merge steps.
If two people check the same thing, merge it. If nobody uses a report, kill it. - Test the lean version.
Run a pilot with fewer steps. If the world doesn’t end, congratulations, you just improved efficiency.
Why it matters
Simplification is the only way to make work scalable and human.
The less cognitive load your team faces, the more time they have for real thinking.
Simplifying isn’t about being lazy, it’s about being smart; the simplest systems are the ones that actually work.
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