Full article with thanks to: forbes.com/councils/forbescoachescouncil/2024/10/22/seven-ways-leaders-overcomplicate-things-and-how-to-simplify-them
For a business leader, it can be easy to get caught up in the day-to-day details and inadvertently make things more complicated than they need to be. Whether it’s overloading team members with too much information or creating processes for no reason, adding unnecessary complexity can often hinder a team’s productivity and negatively impact morale.
Simplifying your approach to leadership can help you make clearer decisions, communicate more effectively and inspire your team to work smarter, not harder. Below, Forbes Coaches Council members share common ways leaders can overcomplicate things and what to do instead so that you can lead with greater focus and clarity.
1. Not Clarifying When You’re Thinking Out Loud
Leaders not considering the certainty of what they are communicating relative to their position in the company can create unnecessary complications and confusion among teams. When leaders are in “brainstorming” mode, ideas they are excited about and choose to share may sound like a directive that needs immediate action to be taken by their followers, when all the leader intended was to simply connect with those whom they lead. Clarifying what you’re sharing helps others know what to do with what you’ve said. Saying, “I’ve got some provisional ideas for a new program”—versus, “Here’s an idea”—clearly signals to the listener that you’re thinking out loud rather than implying they need to act on something that isn’t fully baked and out of the oven yet. – Amy Norton, GiANT Southeast
2. Being An ‘Over-The-Shoulder’ Leader
Last year, I worked with an organisation that encouraged the behaviour of micromanagers. Four out of 22 global facilities were led by “over-the-shoulder” leadership. Those four locations had the largest number of product and service errors, consistent layoff numbers and reduced or inconsistent annual sales figures. Training and inspiring an organisation’s leadership by allowing independence and encouraging creativity will benefit the overall well-being of the company’s environment, as well as the growth of the leadership team and supporting staff. The truth is that leadership, from the CEO down, provides the blueprint for the company’s, department’s and team’s success or failure. Fear, inexperience, envy, lack of knowledge and ego can poison an organisation, leading to overcomplicating the flow of success. – J.K. Dickinson, J.K. Dickinson & Associates
3. Deeming Everything Urgent
Question the urgency of everything. Just because someone says something is urgent doesn’t mean it is. We are wired to react to anything that appears urgent. For many of us, perceptions of urgency automatically override how we prioritise the day-to-day. Before we know it, crisis management becomes the norm, not the exception. Crises are costly and complicated. Reflexively prioritising anything that appears urgent perpetuates this cycle. Break the cycle. Rigorously scrutinise everything that crosses your desk for real urgency before prioritising it. Smoke out false or manufactured urgency. Real urgency is quiet. It is not frenetic. It is present long before most people have been taught to recognise it. If something is on fire, you can bet that real urgency went undetected and unheeded earlier. – April Armstrong, AHA Insight
4. Going Into Too Much Detail
Leaders can overcomplicate tasks and goals by providing unnecessary details and long-winded explanations. They would be better served by focusing communications on clear priorities and objectives and giving teams the autonomy to decide how to achieve them. Regular check-ins and requests for feedback ensure that all are headed in the right direction without over-managing the specifics of how the work gets done. Simplicity in leadership promotes empowerment, innovation and job satisfaction for all involved. – Jonathan H. Westover, Ph.D., Human Capital Innovations
5. Losing Sight Of The Strategic Vision
One way company leaders often overcomplicate things is by micromanaging and getting too involved in day-to-day tasks instead of focusing on strategic direction. This can lead to inefficiencies, confusion and lower morale, as employees feel they lack autonomy and trust. To simplify, leaders can delegate more effectively by setting clear goals and expectations and then empowering their teams to take ownership of the execution. By shifting from a “command and control” approach to one that encourages independence and accountability, leaders can foster a more agile and motivated workforce while focusing on higher-level decisions that drive long-term growth. – Maryam Daryabegi, Innovation Bazar
6. Not Adapting Your Leadership Style
Many leaders forget their most important priority at work: maintaining their development savvy in situational leadership. This involves understanding how to adjust the most appropriate leadership style to the current performance readiness of the follower, taking into account the level at which the specific task is currently being carried out by that follower in line with the company’s standards. When they add empathy on top of this leadership style, they win the business game, helping their employees and teams work efficiently with joy, interest and happiness. They avoid burnout and boredom by focusing on their followers’ best task completion in regard to their current ability and willingness. Most leaders focus on the task and forget to check to see if people can—and want to—complete it. – Dominik Szot, MIA
7. Confusing The Means With The Ends
Leaders confuse the means with the ends, focusing too much on processes, tools or immediate tasks rather than the ultimate goals. This lack of prioritisation creates unnecessary complexity and slows down progress. To simplify, leaders need to refocus on the big picture and identify key priorities that directly contribute to long-term success. By cutting through distractions and maintaining clarity on the outcomes that matter most, they can lead with purpose, make faster decisions and empower their teams to stay aligned with the organisation’s core objectives.
Full article with thanks to: forbes.com/councils/forbescoachescouncil/2024/10/22/seven-ways-leaders-overcomplicate-things-and-how-to-simplify-them
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