ATD Blog

Simplify!

Wed Dec 05 2012

Content

Everything has gotten too complicated. It’s time to simplify!

Content

Simplify Email!

Content
Quit guessing. Too much time and too many words are the result of not knowing how the recipient will react. Don’t guess. Get face-to-face or pick up the phone.
Quit guessing. Too much time and too many words are the result of not knowing how the recipient will react. Don’t guess. Get face-to-face or pick up the phone.
Content
Make your request in the first sentence. If you can’t, email probably isn’t the tool you need.
Make your request in the first sentence. If you can’t, email probably isn’t the tool you need.
Content
Treat the “Reply All” option like a contagious disease.
Treat the “Reply All” option like a contagious disease.

Content

Simplify Decisions!

Content
Quit wasting time on inconsequential decisions. Flip a coin and move on.
Quit wasting time on inconsequential decisions. Flip a coin and move on.
Content
Important decisions deserve clear decision criteria and time spent generating new options.
Important decisions deserve clear decision criteria and time spent generating new options.
Content
Agree on the destination before arguing about the route.
Agree on the destination before arguing about the route.
Content
Don’t make the same decisions over and over. A routine or standard practice is a decision made permanent.
Don’t make the same decisions over and over. A routine or standard practice is a decision made permanent.

Content

Simplify Meetings!

Content
Never start a meeting without knowing what needs to be different when it ends.
Never start a meeting without knowing what needs to be different when it ends.

Content

Simplify Priorities!

Content
Choose! If you have many priorities, you don’t have any priorities. People can only handle a few at a time.
Choose! If you have many priorities, you don’t have any priorities. People can only handle a few at a time.

Content

Simplify Motivation!

Content
You can love the activity, love the result, or love neither. The latter requires the most attention.
You can love the activity, love the result, or love neither. The latter requires the most attention.
Content
Recruit talent and energy, and then match that talent to the right position to avoid having to manage those who love neither the activity, nor the result.
Recruit talent and energy, and then match that talent to the right position to avoid having to manage those who love neither the activity, nor the result.

Content

Simplify Goals!

Content
See “Simplify Priorities!” and “Simplify Motivation!”
See “Simplify Priorities!” and “Simplify Motivation!”
Content
Clarify what success will look and feel like before you begin.
Clarify what success will look and feel like before you begin.
Content
Reduce big goals to concrete next steps with tangible outcomes.
Reduce big goals to concrete next steps with tangible outcomes.

Content

Simplify Project Management!

Content
Don’t let a “complete” plan create the illusion that everything’s under control. Plans fail.
Don’t let a “complete” plan create the illusion that everything’s under control. Plans fail.
Content
Avoid the tendency to focus on planning the obvious and making quick progress on the easy.
Avoid the tendency to focus on planning the obvious and making quick progress on the easy.
Content
Concentrate on learning what you don’t know and anticipating problems.
Concentrate on learning what you don’t know and anticipating problems.

Content

Simplify Workloads!

Content
There are only five effective ways to prevent work overload: accomplish more, expect less, postpone, delegate/outsource, or abandon.
There are only five effective ways to prevent work overload: accomplish more, expect less, postpone, delegate/outsource, or abandon.
Content
There is only one ineffective way: choosing none of the five.
There is only one ineffective way: choosing none of the five.

Content

Simplify Accountability!

Content
Get on the same team. Team members win and lose together.
Get on the same team. Team members win and lose together.
Content
Replace “hold accountable” with “help succeed.”
Replace “hold accountable” with “help succeed.”

Content

Simplify Roles and Responsibilities!

Content
Define roles and responsibilities around processes and their business outcomes, not one individual at a time.
Define roles and responsibilities around processes and their business outcomes, not one individual at a time.
Content
Establish clear ownership and authority for tangible outcomes essential to the organization’s business outcomes.
Establish clear ownership and authority for tangible outcomes essential to the organization’s business outcomes.

Content

Simplify Delegation!

Content
If trust is a factor, you are thinking too much about the person and not enough about the process.
If trust is a factor, you are thinking too much about the person and not enough about the process.
Content
Examine the process and identify who is best positioned to establish objectives, generate alternatives, identify risks, gather input, brainstorm ideas, assign resources, create deadlines, review, and authorize. In many cases, it makes no sense for one person to do all of the above.
Examine the process and identify who is best positioned to establish objectives, generate alternatives, identify risks, gather input, brainstorm ideas, assign resources, create deadlines, review, and authorize. In many cases, it makes no sense for one person to do all of the above.
Content
Monitor the process, not the person, to improve results without damaging relationships.
Monitor the process, not the person, to improve results without damaging relationships.

Content

What can you simplify starting today?

You've Reached ATD Member-only Content

Become an ATD member to continue

Already a member?Sign In