Rules of Business Relationships, Part 8 - Simplicity
Whether it’s a piece of literature, a business plan, or a relationship, most of us have a tendency to drift toward the complex. Recently I wrote about how Amazon Web pages have grown bewilderingly complicated.
It takes an extraordinary person to take something simple and keep it simple, let alone take something complicated and make it simple.
Yet great business relationship builders have the ability to do both.
Simple ideas capture the imagination and inspire organizations, one mind at a time.
Simplicity in Action
My own father is a master of creating a simple and compelling vision. His distribution business once started carrying a new and unproven line of inner packaging material. Sales were modest, perhaps a truckload a month - nothing to sneeze at by industry standards.
One day the manufacturer’s head man came to visit, worried about the future of this product. My father told him, “Don’t worry, before long we’re going to be selling a truckload a day.”
The simple idea of a truckload a day was an exciting vision. With everyone on both sides of the relationship focused on that single goal, they eventually achieved it.
As I suggested in Part 7, both parties in a business relationship must have mutually reinforcing goals. If those goals can be made - and kept - simple, the sky’s the limit.
Last in a series of 8 posts on the Rules of Business Relationships
Maybe you and I can introduce UK slang to Chicago. Brad...
Well, Brad, now we know where your business savvy came from! Your Dad obviously had a knack for recognizing what constituted a realistic business goal and using his own educated optimism to inspire others to believe it could be reached.
Keeping goals simple is certainly a great way to make them more achievable. It’s so much easier to keep your eye on the prize when it’s straightforward, uncomplicated, and tangible. You can then focus on developing strategies to achieve it rather than using all your analytical powers to simply decipher it!
Jeanne
Jeanne, simple is the way to go, in business and in writing, don’t you think?
Funny you should ask that, Brad, because simple doesn’t seem to be something I’m generally able to achieve where writing is concerned. My words and sentences tend to be rather long and complex at times. I’m not entirely sure this is always a bad thing, though–at least when kept within reasonable limits. It really depends on the type of writing.
In business writing, for example, simple, concise, and straightforward generally seem to be best. Yet there are other types of writing, where simple equals simplistic. It is in this sort of writing that the beauty and eloquence of well-crafted prose are lost when the writing is too simple. Some writing demands more noble prose, rising, as it does, from the deeper contemplation of loftier, more complex concepts. This isn’t to say, of course, that business writing cannot be eloquent in its own business-like way–as you yourself have proven.
Jeanne
That’s nice of you to say, Jeanne. You make a good point and state it very eloquently! When complex writing reflects deep insight, then it is beautiful. If it reflects fuzzy thinking or poor writing technique, it is not so beautiful. Having read your blog for over a year, I can tell you your writing falls into the former category, not the latter.
Thanks, Brad!
I guess the various writing styles are akin to using the right tool for the right job.
Jeanne
[…] right is always wrong. Business relationships flourish when partners find complementary objectives. Rule 8 - Simplicity. Simple ideas generate energy and results. Complex ideas generate confusion between […]
Hi Brad,
I think you are right on the money.
Simplicity is a virtue in any area of life, including business relationships and writing.
I can’t quite remember whether who it was that said it, but I love the famous old saying:
“An educated man takes something simple and makes it complicated. A genius takes something complicated and makes it simple.”
Whilst I don’t know that the saying is true of all educated people, I am full of praise for simplicity.
When dealing with current or prospective business partners, you must look at things from their point of view. They probably have a million other things to going on which they need to take care of. The last thing they want in their business or personal lives is more complexity.
Accordingly, unless you talk to them in simple and easy terms, they are unlikely to want a lasting business relationship with you. You are offering something they don’t want - more complexity in their lives.
But, if you can keep things straightforward, they are much more likely to want to deal with you and your company. You are offering them something they want - simplicity.
Simplicity rules - it’s that simple!
Cheers
Andrew
Andrew, thank you for your thoughtful comment. I like your point about people needing more simplicity in their lives. This time of year especially, we get pulled in a thousand directions. Better to slow down and enjoy.
Here’s to that! It’s Christmas time - time to chill out, relax and take it easy.