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Tips and Tricks: HayLoise's Docent Blog

Simplicity: The New Competitive Advantage in a World of More, Better, Faster

by Bill Jensen

We are all being bombarded with too much information � this book provides insight into how this effects our lives at work and in our businesses. In the book, Simplicity, author Jenson points out that that the amount of business information doubles every three years. If you think your work is complex now, just wait! In three years you�ll have twice as much information to sift through, most of it irrelevant to your job function.

While this book is not about Branding per se, it provides a five step process for simplifying any project.

1. Know which few things are most important



2. Consider how people will feel when you move forward on those things



3. Use the right tools



4. Create realistic expectations and then manage those expectations



5. Create a �teachable view� of what you�re trying to achieve

Jenson points out that today one of the biggest problems workers have is too much information, with too little filtering. I can�t agree more. Think about Jenson�s recommendations in all your communications (not just project management) and you�ll really get attention � and yes enhance your Brand.

One unfortunate aspect of this book is that he didn�t follow his own advice in creating his book. Particularly jarring, in a book about simplicity are the cluttered layout, the pages that are filled with blocks of oversized type, notes, different typefaces, sidebars, and other distractions. I guess we are all guilty of the "Do as I say, not as I do" syndrome!

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Strive to Be Noticed ... and Remembered!

It's hard to get people's attention today. Everyone is busy, busy. Everyone is bombarded with marketing messages ... over 1,500 every day! How do you stand out in such an environment. Do something that's a little different. Here's a story that illustrates the point:

A lady, sitting next to Raymond Loewy (former CEO of Exxon) at dinner, struck up a conversation.

“Why”, she asked “did you put two Xs in Exxon?”
“Why do you ask?” he asked
“Because”, she said, “I couldn’t help noticing?”
“Well”, he responded, “that’s the answer.”

- Source: Alan Fletcher, The Art Of Looking Sideways

And you thought those capital "L's" in CattLeLogos were an accident?

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