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Simply Put Articles Archive
This section contains the most recent articles published in our free Simply Put (formerly Seeking Clarity) monthly newsletter. Many of these articles have also been published in various online magazines.You can also listen to more recent articles.
Please note that as of July 2007, new articles are now posted on our Management:Simple blog. You can read them by clicking here. This is a temporary arrangement while we rebuild our website in the second half of 2007.
To receive new articles as they are published (once every month), please register for our free Get Started Workbook, which includes subscription to Simply Put
Articles from the Current Volume
The One Thing You Need to Remember June 2007
“I am constantly amazed at how stupid I was two weeks ago.” This is a wonderful comment on lifelong learning from American consultant and writer Alan Weiss. It holds a lot of truth. It is incredible how even a small experience or lesson can make our world look quite different from what it did only yesterday. More...
Is this Force Holding you Back? May 2007
When my nine-year-old daughter grows up, she wants to be a teacher, scientist, inventor, musician and waitress. All at once. Her ambitions fit neatly with her place in what Edward de Bono calls the age of "Why not?". It's a wonderful 'no-holds-barred', anything-goes outlook on life. It's a pity that it probably won't last. More...
In Search of a Simpler Work Experience April 2007
I made my move two years ago. At the time I didn't tell many people. I didn't want to be embarrassed if it didn't work out. I didn't want people saying, "I told you so". But now, two years on, it's time I told you about my shift. More...
A Simple Truth about Work-Life Balance March 2007
It all started well for Russell. Like a growing number of busy 21st century managers, he wanted more balance. He counted himself lucky when he and his wife worked out they could afford him to cut back to four days a week. His own manager, although hesitant, opted to support him rather than risk losing years of knowledge and experience. More...
Revealed: Why your Computer System is a Mess February 2007
Ever wondered why it takes you so long to find the information you need on your corporate computer system? That's if you can find it at all. Did you know that the tooth fairy could be partly to blame? More...
Does Simplicity have a Future? January 2007
Simplicity is over-rated. At least that’s what a leading thinker on product design, Don Norman, wrote last month. He went further, saying “simplicity is a myth whose time has past [sic]”. So are those of us who believe in simplicity kidding ourselves? Is it worth pursuing or a waste of time and energy? More...
How Busy is Too Busy? December 2006
Just as the car crested a hill it stopped. The engine went silent and the car just coasted. Thinking quickly, Simon managed to steer onto the shoulder of the road before he came to a complete halt. It was only then that he noticed the needle of the fuel gauge resting comfortably at its lowest position. More...
Your Language Needs YOU! November 2006
They're flowing thick and fast now. Here in my home state we're a few days away from an election and the commitments, outcomes, values and enhancements are multiplying like rabbits in spring. Words like these thrive in the lush fields of politics and corporate life. Problem is, they are also starting to hop into uncharted territory. More...
Three Options for Dealing with Complexity October 2006
Every time I ask managers to tell me what makes their lives more complicated, the list seems to get longer. A favourite current gripe is the burden of regulation. Many managers are stuck in a quagmire of rules, regulations and report-writing imposed by both government and the corporate head office. How to cope? More...
Six Simple Lessons from a Super Success September 2006
He achieved more in his life than most of us would if we were given twice the time. He built a following that most politicians can only dream of. He was as recognisable as the most prominent Hollywood actor. And, for me, he was a poster-child of simplicity with lessons for all of us. He was Steve Irwin, the Crocodile Hunter. More...
How to Build a Winning Simplification Strategy August 2006
I meet a lot of managers who express a great desire to simplify their business. Many of these managers understand intuitively that a more simple business would be both more successful and more satisfying to work in. Unfortunately, few managers turn their intention into action. Often they're just not seeing the opportunities. More...
A Lesson of Survival in the Always-in-Touch World July 2006
Simon sauntered. It was rare that he had the chance to take a lunchtime walk beside the city’s river. He wasn’t going to waste this one. And in any case, he desperately needed some space. Oblivious of the grey skies, the grey path and the rush of other grey suits weaving their way around him, he wrapped himself in his thoughts. More...
How Project Management can be Made more Simple June 2006
On a recent holiday I organised an activity of significant daughterly desire: the dreaded horse ride. Once again, my steed was the old, slow one. In fact he was fully automatic. I didn’t need to do anything but hold on and enjoy the view. Strangely, the jaunt got me thinking about managing projects. Come for a ride and I’ll tell you why. More...
Why Simplicity is Essential (still) May 2006
I'm travelling overseas at the moment. It struck me as I packed that I had spent more time making sure I had a full set of batteries and power cords than I did making sure I had enough clothes! But as I arrived at the airport with my 'e-ticket' floating beside me in cyberspace, it struck me that all is not lost in the pursuit of simplicity. More...
How to Steer a Business in Complex Times April 2006
Question: “How can I make my business simple when so much external complexity is imposed on me, particular from competition and regulators?” I’m asked that question a lot. The answer, my friends, is blowin’ in the wind. More...
Why Every Business Needs Rhythm March 2006
I saw a fantastic band last night. I can’t remember exactly how they described their musical style. It was something to do with a mix of Cajun, Celtic, French Canadian, jazz, salsa, roots and folk. Whatever it was, it was exuberant. It reminded me yet again of the magic of music – a magic that business can learn from. More...
The Secret to Employing Better People February 2006
She darts about the place like a butterfly flitting from flower to flower. Always on the go. Always looking to be busy. Her eyes are alive; they absorb every detail. She anticipates peoples’ needs almost before they recognise them. She is, in short, every manager’s dream More...
How to Stand Out from the Noisy Crowd January 2006
It’s midnight on New Year’s Eve. The neighborhood air fills with the sounds of out-of-sync countdowns, out-of-tune renditions of Auld Lang Syne and the occasional pop of a fairly feeble firework. These were other peoples’ noises – we were having a quiet one – and they soon faded. Unlike much of the other noise we have to live with. More...
A Simple Goal for a New Year December 2005
The word ‘awful’ originally meant “inspiring reverential wonder”. So you must understand what I mean when I say my recent trip to America’s Grand Canyon was absolutely awful. It was certainly more than awesome. But I wasn’t only inspired with reverential wonder. I was also inspired with a resolution for the new year. More...
How to Make More Rational Decisions November 2005
Do you make rational decisions? Imagine you have that decision of all decisions to make: the seating plan for your upcoming wedding. 120 guests, 10 tables. All friends and family. Should be a breeze, shouldn’t it? Not so fast. Psychologists tell us you are unlikely to come up with the best solution. More...
Improving your Business on a Budget October 2005
It’s hard rubbish (a.k.a. ‘heavy trash’) time in our neighbourhood. Our streets are strewn with the jetsam of the times. High on this year’s list of Suburbia’s Most Unwanted are TVs and computers – many still working. It’s been fascinating to watch the savvy Steptoes of the area step in to give these discards a second life. What can managers learn from this festival of the throwaway society? More...
Making the Most of Simplicity's Key Ingredient September 2005
Cooking didn’t come naturally to me. My first attempts in the kitchen were more Dr. Frankenstein than Jamie Oliver. Curdled custards, clumpy couscous and charcoaled casseroles were standard fare. These days I’m pleased to report things have improved. And it was one of simplicity’s key ingredients which turned things around. More...
How Much are you Prepared to Pay for Perfection? August 2005
To err is human. Or at least it was 300 years ago when Cardinal Melchior De Polignac made this well-known statement. I’m not so sure anymore. Those of us with weeds in our garden used to be able to ignore them, but things have changed. We are in the midst of a cult of perfection in which flawless turf rules. And we are paying a price. More...
How to Get the Message Across - or Not July 2005
In the olden days of photography (remember film?), my SLR camera was one of my favourite travel companions. Even after years of use, I still love the magical way a blurred subject suddenly gains clarity as the focusing ring reaches just the right spot. If only such sharp clarity was as easy to achieve in business. More...
Read This if You Value Simplicity June 2005
Even if you've never seen a Star Wars film, you have probably heard of the 'dark side of the force'. In Star Wars Episode III, the implicit warning is that the dark side can be difficult to distinguish from the good side. This is certainly the case with simplicity, which also has a dark side. Which leaves us with a challenge. More...
Previous Articles
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best articles from five years of Seeking Clarity have been updated and
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Management Back to Basics.
'Success with Simplicity' strips management back to basics. The book offers a fresh perspective on the challenge of management plus insight into how you can use simplicity to have balance and success.
