Elegant Simplicity: Using Principles to Navigate Complexity

In the midst of complex change, establishing principles to provide a guiding light can enable better alignment to what really matters.

Our work and personal lives are full of complexity. It is hard to have time to consider options, or even just to think. We also know that just blocking out complexity is not a solution. So how do we create simplicity that really helps us in complex situations? One solution developed by regulators of complex systems, is to move away from formalised rules and procedures, that cannot keep up with innovation, and to focus on principles.

Why don’t rules work for complexity?

We often find our standard practices for managing change breakdown precisely at moments of mounting complexity, when we most need to manage risks and create certainty. Typically, when complex systems do not conform well to our programme and change management, we double down on the same methodologies that are already failing.

When things are complex it is easy to focus on compliance to simple rules and end up with a ‘tick-box’ approach. For example, many organisations use blunt rules such as headcount caps or recruitment freezes. These rules often achieve the intended goal of reducing costs, but leave organisations without the skills in the right teams creating lasting impact on workforce, sometimes including resources from vital projects designed to deliver cost savings!

How principles provide guidance in complexity

Sometimes we use principles to find a way to ‘bend’ the rules, whilst trying to stay true to the project’s purpose. We lean on experienced experts, not because they have all the answers, but to help us through this complexity with principles that work. Principles enable progress, without the rigidity of being too specific when the reality of a complex environment would make that difficult.

It is often the layers of complexity that make it overwhelming and difficult to see the ‘wood from the trees’. We often intuitively understand principles in moments of crisis which enables us to home in on what really matters. Navigating a complex environment might mean creating simple principles to be our rudders.

Why we use Design Principles.

Complexity is always present when we are developing new organisation operating models or other forms of organisational change. Typically design principles are a combination of good organisation design practice, with some specific principles that reflect the values and approach that are important in the individual context we are working in. Design principles are crucial to capture what is important for this specific restructure or change. Principles are a way of expressing the ‘spirit’ of an approach, rather than the ‘letter of law’, and for that reason take some time to get right

Using great questions as principles

Framing principles through great questions focuses attention on critical elements and steers good decision-making. In three simple questions we can encapsulate complexity by focusing on alignment of the programme or change:

1. Does it align with the organisation’s core purpose, business strategy and culture? Weigh up whether decisions have considered the wider implications of choices, and are aligned to your heart, head and gut.
   
   
2. Does it align with the direction and momentum the organisation is moving in? Consider whether it is in the direction of travel and is moving at the pace of change – or potentially could frustrate that.
   
   
3. Does it create more clarity for the organisation? Consider whether we are making choices that simplify and clarify in a productive way.

The elegant simplicity of principles is deceptive: they do not give us easy answers. Principles force us to challenge ourselves to evaluate options beyond the immediate project challenges. Principles require active dialogue with others, to weigh up alternatives and thus help us make better decisions. Principles make us more accountable for our choices – rather just hitting project milestones.

Finally, design principles in organisation design and development help hold the organisation true to itself, to its highest intentions – even when in the midst of complexity we feel overwhelmed, confused and frustrated. Principles in any change provide an elegant simplicity to pare back to what matters and take the best decision you can together in complex situations.

Alex Poppleton is an Organisation Development & Design (OD&D) Consultant/ Interim specialising in complex transformations and culture change. She has 25 years of bringing a human-centred approach to organisational change across public and private sector and across multinational organisations. She is passionate about enabling people to have agency that enables them to embrace change.

Alex’s work incorporates human elements of change working across the spectrum of: transformation, culture change, organisation development and people change, business and operating models, executive coaching, leadership development, board and large group facilitation.

Her work includes leading-edge approaches to change, combining deep OD&D expertise with broad strategic business understanding. Her approach rapidly creates momentum for change, whilst building on the intrinsic strengths of the organisation.

If you are looking for experienced people change support, reach out to Alex through LinkedIn. Alex is also a guest speaker at Tricordants upcoming webinar event.