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Reducing complexity In an industry environment where change has become the norm, firm leaders must be proactive in promoting an organization of client-centered simplicity. O P I N I O N
I t seems the world is becoming faster paced and more complex by the day. External forces continue to reshape the landscape, which, in turn, makes companies continu- ally re-evaluate their offerings and how they deliver them. Competitors continue to change, and this only adds to the pressure to keep up, while technology advancements move at light speed – thus making it increasingly difficult to decide what and when to adopt. All of this adds to the overall complexity that impacts leaders today, who are facing an increasing number of choices and decisions that impact the business. New strategies for growth, approaches to organize the company, ways to analyze the busi- ness, and opportunities to apply technology to deliver information in new and cre- ative ways are just quick examples of choices that face leaders daily. It seems change is the norm of daily life.
Gerry Salontai
business – one that is built around clients. Hav- ing a client-centered focus allows a company to excel in delivery of its work product through deep client relationships and is paramount to success. This re- quires placing your best on the front lines with cli- ents and not tying their hands with administration of internal functions or activities. Anything that im- pedes or stifles the company-to-client relationship should be avoided like the plague. ❚ ❚ Adopting new technology that creates value for the client should be given the priority. Deliver- ing innovation and creativity and going that extra mile for the client is important to differentiation. Asking yourself “How will this benefit the client?” or “How can we deliver more value?” by adopting such technology should be the litmus test in the decision process. At the same time, it is important to answer the question “Will this ultimately benefit our share- holders?” If it doesn’t meet these tests, then resist doing it. ❚ ❚ Keep the organization simple. Fight to reduce layers in the organization that will confuse staff and/or clients. Just because others seem to be mov- ing to the latest new way to structure themselves doesn’t mean your company should. People will function best when they’re not encumbered with layers of complexity that slow things down, create Leaders today must champion change by adopting new approaches and technology while ensuring they operate a financially sound business that continues to build shareholder value.
But can a company get caught up in all this and adopt too much and thus change too much too quickly? Or is it possible that a firm can just get so complicated it actually functions less efficiently? There are some key themes in this article to consider: Promoting focus, agility, creativity, or similar attributes while avoiding bureaucracy, death-by-data, and complexity is important. Leaders are certainly tempted today to adopt and change and thus succumb to much of this. Some, if not many, seem to add layer upon layer of com- plexity to their businesses while not appreciating that there are parts of our business that are so fundamental that trying to overcomplicate them can lead to less-than-desirable performance. No matter how complex the world gets, a few things remain the same. Here are some considerations to keep in mind while navigating though the ever- increasingly complex world we operate in: ❚ ❚ A laser-focused client market strategy is even more important than in the past. Targeting the right market sectors or adding new capabilities while applying the company’s resources effectively is es- sential. At the same time, continually refreshing the strategy of the company is crucial. A company no longer has the luxury of putting together strategies and reviewing them only every three to five years. Continuous evaluation, flexibility, and adaptability is the order of the day. ❚ ❚ This industry will continue to be a people-
See GERRY SALONTAI , page 4
THE ZWEIG LETTER JULY 27, 2015, ISSUE 1113
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