Front Only the Essentials of Your Business

The modern corporation is wasteful, fragmented, and a model of massive value leakage. Sounds harsh, but you know the truth. Because of how we have designed, manage, and continue to lead our companies is why the corporate landscape is more reflective of mediocrity than true potential.

You see, to realize true potential it requires focusing on the essential of life or in this case of a business. Many years ago, I read a great book about writing called 'The Elements of Style' by William Struck Jr and E.B. White.

In the book, they describe, among many things, how to focus one's writing on only essence; of fronting only the essentials of your topic. Specifically, they emphasize 'omitting needless words' from one's writing as they add nothing to the story or topic. We could apply such wisdom to our companies by emphasizing that an enterprise, a business unit, a function, and/or an individual ONLY perform that which is essential.

Or, to say it differently, to front only the essential of your business. In the modern enterprise, it is hard to see the 'essence' of a company because we have overlaid layers upon layers of needless complexity: excess steps, excess people, fragmented technology, excess controls, burdensome procedures, fragmented interior space, and the like. How simple, efficient, and nimble our companies would be without such baggage.

Knowing this to be the truth, we could re-purpose Struck & White's phrase 'omit needless words' to read 'omit needless operational baggage'. That is the real message in this post. Omit needless operational baggage; front only the essential of your business and then watch with majestic irony how your performance explodes geometrically.

Related Reading

• Simplify, Eliminate, then Integrate Everything!

• Practice Simplicity

• The Genius of the 'And': Optimize, Integrate & Innovate

Facing a complex change challenge in your organization? Book an OD consultation with Henosis Partners.