Simplicity is the Ultimate Sophistication (2024)

There is a reason that the Mona Lisa is smiling.She knows that Leonardo da Vinci was right – simplicity is the ultimate sophistication.Simplicity isn’t banal.It is elegant.And it is often hard to achieve in a corporate environment.

Across the centuries, some of the most brilliant minds (think da Vinci, Newton, Einstein, and Steve Jobs for starters) have all associated simplicity with genius and sophistication.Why? To create simplicity is to show a maturity of both intellect and wisdom.It is a skill and used wisely, it can be incredibly effective in the workplace.

For example:

Simple knowledge is easier to test and eventually deploy than more complex knowledge
Simplicity requires less cognitive effort, which allows for more thinking and less of a mental overload
It is far easier to communicate ideas that are simple rather than complex, so the social impact is greater
Simplicity has a desirable aesthetic.Hence why empty space is often used to great effect in architecture

Scientists also understand the power of simplicity, and this is well illustrated in the “principle of parsimony” or the “law of parsimony”, also known as “Occam’s razor”.This is a guiding principle that means that all things being equal, you should use the simplest possible explanation or the simplest possible solution to a problem.[1]

However, presenting things in a simple way is often more difficult than explaining it in a detailed and complex way.Clutter and excess are not only unrefined, but they also create confusion.

So, if simplicity creates clarity, how can a leader use this to great effect?

“Great leaders are almost always great simplifiers, who can cut through argument, debate and doubt, to offer a solution everybody can understand.” — Colin Powell

1.Purpose

Your organisation needs a very simple and easy to understand purpose.The simpler this message, the easier it is for everyone to understand your “why”.[2] Great leaders understand that leadership involves taking the collective, their people and team on the same journey as themselves and making it as easy as possible for people to follow.

2.Strategy

This needs to be simple, easy to communicate and most importantly, easy to understand.The worst strategic plans that I have seen are like a book and no one reads them or remembers them!The best strategies are easy to understand and connect to. Personally, I like those that have 5 major components, as most people find 5 easy enough to remember.

3.Communication

Whether you are speaking or writing, you must communicate with clarity and simplicity.This means stripping away the words and ideas that are not important.Productive leaders confront the noise and endless analysis, cut through minutia, conflict and vested interests and then deliver clarity. [3]

4.Decisiveness

The worst leaders I have seen tend to avoid clear answers, or constantly delay making key decisions.Those leaders who obfuscate and avoid clear answers almost always create doubt and a lack of confidence.Being able to articulate the key facts and then make a decision is critical in terms of creating simplicity.

5.Transparency

Some leaders deliberately introduce complexity.This is often to stall for time, cover up their real objectives and distract the debate away from core strategic questions or issues.These leaders are usually easy to spot – there will be a lot of complexity in how they communicate, “accidental” hiding of facts and blaming of others.A favourite claim used by these leaders is “the devil is in the detail”.[4]Many corporate collapses have occurred due to leaders deliberately hiding critical information amongst endless detail, which effectively hides the truth.So, sometimes great complexity masks hidden agendas.Great leaders use simplicity and embrace transparency.