Eschew obsfucation and 'keep it simple, stupid!'

‘Complexity’ results from success and growth. Complication’ is the way we choose to deal with it. Peter Hughes explains how managers and staff can streamline and work smarter.

- Peter Hughes

The recent drought in Europe resulted in water restrictions France, but golf courses were partially exempt. This didn't go down well with the locals, especially nurseries and farmers, and as anger gathered momentum, activists came up with an idea. Targeting golf courses near Toulouse, they filled the holes on the greens with cement.

No holes. No golf. Problem solved.

Restrictions were instantly reviewed! During the Second World War, Britain and Germany indiscriminately carpet-bombed each other's cities.

Despite the carnage wrought on historic buildings and innocent civilians, it brought neither country closer to victory. In fact, it had the opposite effect; it stiffened their resolve to keep fighting.

Then the US came up with a better idea. They suggested that German ball-bearing factories should be targeted for bombing. Without ball-bearings, no machines, from bicycles to fighter planes or tanks, can operate, and the destruction of their ball-bearing factories would eventually bring all enemy machinery to a grinding halt.

(For other reasons, it didn't quite turn out that way, but it was a brilliant idea!) These are two examples of simple solutions to problems. It takes a lot of hard work to make something simple.