Mr. Inamori once said, "We tend to think about things too complicated, but in fact, the simpler we look at things, the closer we get to the truth as they are."
The greatest truth is the simplest". Especially in the complex business world, simplifying complex things is a rare ability.
Let's start with the story of Steve Jobs and Apple.
In 1985, Jobs was kicked out of the company he founded because of a disagreement with most of Apple's board of directors over the business philosophy. After Steve Jobs left, Apple's development went from bad to worse.
In 1996, Apple was in turmoil. At a time when IBM was in the PC market, with the likes of Dell, Compaq, Epson and Hitachi competing fiercely, Apple had little place in the market: its product lines were bloated, sales were plummeting, inventories were piling up, and Apple seemed to be losing the magic it had had for the past 20 years.
They desperately need a CEO who can turn the tide, so they have to bring back Steve Jobs, who has been exiled by Apple for 10 years.
In 1997, after Jobs returned to Apple, he drastically cut the product line, cutting 70% of the project. His goal is to offer only 4 basic products and make a profit on these 4 products: two different models of desktops, one designed for the average person and one for professionals; Two different models of notebooks, the same two types of people.
Apple only keeps 4 products, 4 product lines, and no longer needs redundant design, production, or sales teams to lure customers into buying additional features they don't need at all.
Apple's engineers and designers were able to dedicate themselves to the development of hardware and software for four products, bringing the company back to its original self: cutting-edge products for the high-end personal and professional markets.
Although the management at the time expressed strong dissatisfaction with Jobs's move, it turned out that after Jobs insisted on cutting off the messy products and following the principles of minimalist design, Apple came back to life, with its stock price rising by 33% and its market value increasing by 8$300 million.
Why did others try many ways but failed to save Apple, but Jobs was able to lead Apple to glory?
Jobs only saw through the complex appearance of Apple's business problems. The basic principles, methods and laws of all things in the world are extremely simple, and after stripping away the complex and redundant appearances, it is the most essential truth of things. Insight into the essence and simplification of complexity is what Jobs did right.
In the era of change, the key to success is to know how to "simplify the complex". The more difficult the period, the more we must respect common sense and laws, return to the essence of the industry, and return to the real needs of customers.
Simplifying the complex sounds easy to understand, but why is it so complicated and difficult to implement?
The Tao Te Ching says: "The road is very good, and the people are good." Each of us is originally true and pure in our hearts, but we are blinded by ignorance and selfish desires, and by cleaning the dirt and dust in our hearts and restoring a clear conscience, we can "have a clear heart and clear eyes", can we "walk according to the way", and will not get lost on the path.
At the beginning of all things, the road is simple, and the evolution is complex. So, as a business operator, how can you keep yourself on the road and make it simpler? Today I will share with you four ways of thinking.
What is the strategic intent?
The strategic intention is to decide the problem of "where to go" of the enterprise, and to do things is to go up and down at the same frequency in the strategy, and use the strategic standards to test some of the current things, to do or not to do, and what are the priorities. When a company has a main line, things are simple, on the contrary, without a main line, it will become complicated and disorganized.
As a business operator, you have to make countless decisions every day, and the criteria for these decisions and judgments are the company's strategy. Within the framework of the strategic direction of the enterprise, think about the intention of a specific work at the moment, so that the speed and severity of the work have a criterion, and it will naturally become simple.
What does the customer think?
Empathy requires us to stand in the customer's perspective and see the customer's needs at all times. When an enterprise encounters complex problems, being able to stand in the customer's perspective and put himself in their shoes is the way to simplify the complex.
For example, in the previous article, Steve Jobs cut off the products that customers don't need, remove the "surplus food" in product design, and focus on making the products that are left behind, which is exactly what the same customers gave him.
What is right as a human being?
Mr. Inamori's judgment in all business activities is based on what is right as a human being. When running a business, especially when facing some major decisions, we must use the "radar" of conscience at any time to examine and calibrate our behavior from a higher level of pattern.
The essence of business is altruism. Any decision we make should benefit others, not hurt them. Sometimes, when the eyes are disturbed, and before you know it, you will go around the path, and once the ego of "selfishness and calculating interests" appears, you must ask yourself, "As a human being, what is right?" "The right thing is the easy thing.
At the very least, it can be sincere
The essence of simplifying the complex is to return to the heart, and the heart can be bright. This world is complicated, but in the eyes of the saints, it is orderly and even pure. This is what Mr. Inamori saidThe heart is pure and sees the truth
Of course, the realm of clear eyes and pure heart is not something that can be reached overnight. But when we can't do anything, at least be sincere. Mr. Yang Ming said: "Do not deceive conscience, have no hypocrisy, and be sincere, and honesty is clear." "This is true of being a person and doing things, and even more so of running a business.
Simplifying the complex is both an ability and a choice. A true master is good at simplifying complex things.