Simplicity + Leadership = ?

Radical simplicity … — great article!
It sounds so easy and right at the same time — keep it simple and you will be successful!
It is great to read about using simplicity in all aspects of business and people management. Designing products simple with ‘easy to understand’ usability, then no need to spend millions for call centres, problem solving, customer inquiries…
Ignore organisational structure and just put the people where they perform the best due to their strength. Give them the opportunity to take over responsibility and to perform, with learning curves and points of failure: they might run things you never have expected them to… See people as talents and give them the opportunity to challenge and get to know themselves better and better… simply everybody has ‘the chance to climb as high as they can, while still feeling safe at their limit.’
And what does this mean for leadership? Are leaders still needed?
YES — Leaders are important and the power for this growth of individuals. But it is important to understand how leadership works in this environment. One could assume that leadership in this environment is more complex, because a higher degree of flexibility and adaptability is needed due to the employees’ needs, state of growth, competences… As a leader you have to design you system of leadership tools, feel empathy and stay flexibel in how to lead. Is is not about the one and only right way… is about to stay curious and to adapt your leadership style to every single person…
What is simple about this kind of leadership system? Make it transparent! Open up you leadership system to your people. Make it visible, talk about it and explain the reasons behind it — let you team understand the goal: to give everybody the chance to grow! Stay open for questions, comments and even for dislikes…it is not about arguing — it is about understanding and learning…
And for the organisation — What is the outcome?
Speed + growth… simplicity allows to design and develop quickly, addressing problems and finding solutions fast. And if your people grow quickly — you get better results, faster revenues and you have a highly motivated team.
