The 2nd Law of Combat (and leadership) is Keep Things Simple
As a continuation from the last 2 weeks, I read the expert from MSP magazine and wanted to share its breakdown.
We all overcomplicate things, especially when it comes to planning.
Jocko would give his young SEAL officers an exercise where they had to craft a plan to assault a specific target. “They’d disappear for five hours and come back with the most convoluted, complex thing you’ve ever seen in your life.”
The best plan, the most brilliant plan, is the one so simple and so clear that every person on the team understands what that plan is.
But even that’s not enough.
Because if the team doesn’t understand the way that you communicate that plan to them, then there’s no possible way that they can execute.
Whether this involves something as simple as communicating an update to a standard operating procedure or that there’s an effective migration of a legacy CRM to a brand-new system.. You need to make sure with every communication that you’re crystal clear on the exact outcome you want to see happen, and that includes laying out key details, such as priorities, KPIs, and specific responsibilities.
In addition, effective leaders understand that they need to adjust their presentation style to the audience they’re addressing, and this isn’t just from the front of a room backed up by PowerPoint slides — it’s how you express yourself in email, on the phone, or during a Zoom call.
This takes thought, and it takes discipline.
When you keep things simple, you can ensure that everybody on your team understands the mission.
