Mark C. Winters (Rocket Fuel Ventures) uses a childhood ranch anecdote to argue that complexity is the enemy in organizations. He compares unchecked complexity to nature reclaiming neglected fences and urges leaders to obsess over simplicity, reduce priorities and simplify communication/diagrams. He emphasizes the integrator role as the organizational standard-bearer for simplifying the visionary’s complexity. Concludes with a call-to-action to visit rocketfuelnow.com, take assessments, and read the book Rocket Fuel.
Chapters
Hi everybody, it's Mark C. Winters. And today I want to tell you a little story about the ranch I grew up on in eastern Oklahoma. So we had this ranch and we ran cattle on it. And so we were always, you know, clearing brush and cutting hay and clearing out the growth. And we were fixing fences and keeping it all kind of neat and working the way that it was supposed to. And, you know, it's been a lot of years since I was a little kid growing up around that ranch. And so when I go back now, we don't run cattle anymore. And so we don't pay as close of attention to the fences. And so when I look at them, I see things growing up and basically just taking those fences over and almost to the point where it just almost rips them apart and tears them down. You know, it's said that nature takes things back. So when I think about business in that context, the business version of nature is really complexity. And so my message for you today is simply this. I want you to think about complexity. The enemy, alright? Complexity is the enemy. And organizations that have people, they naturally bleed complexity all by themselves. And you'll find that some people are even more natural to create complexity than others. Some people, it seems like they're just wired to create complexity. So as leaders in the organization, we've got to deal with that. Because if it's left unchecked, that complexity, it will open, overtake your whole company. And first people will start to get frustrated, then things will start to hit ceilings and get stuck and ultimately it'll just choke that growth completely down. I want you to picture that complexity as the weeds and the vines all growing up, taking over your company. So all leaders have got to obsess with simplicity. And we have to really find ways to simplify anywhere that we can. Whether that means using, you know, fewer priorities or simpler words or diagrams that have fewer pages, whatever it is, we've just got to find ways to drive simplicity in the organization. And frankly, the integrator may have to be better at this than anyone. Because one version of complexity that I see growing in many organizations is coming from the visionary. And the visionary is just being who they are. So they're running fast and they're making things happen. But the real consequence for the organization is all of a sudden there's a new kind of complexity that's coming at you and coming at you fast. So the integrator has to stand in there and be able to take all of that complexity that may be creating by a particular visionary. And simplify that for the good of the organization. And when they're doing it, they've got to be the role model really for the rest of the leadership team. So we can see the integrator taking that complexity, handling it, simplifying it. So they sort of set the standard for how we obsess about simplicity within the leadership team and simplify wherever we can in the organization. Really important three key things to wrap this one up. You know, number one, complexity is the enemy. If you'll approach it that way and take it on, it will really help you get clear on what you have to do. Number two, leaders must obsess about simplicity. They must simplify. They must drive that into the organization. And number three, the integrator really must set the standard for simplicity. They're the standard that we all must live up to as the rest of the leaders of the organization. Thanks for watching. Today at Rocket Fuel Ventures, we're all about creating the most powerful visionary integrator duos on the planet. And we do that by helping you crystallize what it means to be a visionary and an integrator so you can understand if that concept can help you and if you decide it can, to get connected with your complementary counterpart and then finally maximize that relationship to make it everything it can be to help you take your company to the next level. So if you want more rocket fuel, please check out our website@rocketfuelnow.com and that's where you can sign up for the weekly videos like this. Be sure you're getting these on a regular basis. You can also take the assessments so you can understand as a visionary or as an integrator, where your strengths lie and what the shape is of your two piece puzzles that can help you find that complementary counterpart. And finally, of course, read the book Rocket Fuel and keep those great reviews coming. So until next time, go Rocket.
