Keep it simple
Have you been thinking about Kendrick Lamar’s halftime show too? It was a masterclass in so many things but as it relates to my personal jam, it had some of the most important elements of strategic design:
intentionality: a clear why behind your choices
simplicity: less is more
integrity: alignment with purpose and desired impact
structure: a strong arc that holds together all the pieces to create one clear, cohesive mind-blowing result
It doesn’t take much
Typical halftime shows pull out all the stops. You know what I’m talking about. Kendrick kept it simple - minimalistic. But each artistic decision was calculated, like his color scheme, his choice to feature Serena Williams crip walking. He conveyed - and impacted - more with less.
Stick to who you are
The Atlantic wrote, “The Super Bowl halftime show is an opportunity for big, dumb fun… But big, dumb fun isn’t Kendrick Lamar’s thing.” K-Dot stayed true to himself and his message- even if it meant risk-taking. And what we got was something groundbreaking.
A tight arc makes the singular moments and the big picture message unforgettable.
The a-minor chain. The flag. The Black Panther references. Serena. Uncle Sam. These individual motifs have the power to stand on their own. But together, with the lyrics and everything else, you wonder if there’s more to it. The messages “start here”, “warning, wrong way” and “game over” create a high level story arc that seems to tie all these pieces together with a beginning, middle, and end. Structure helps people navigate and find their way.
How does this apply to company-building?
There is so much depth to the artistry that I can barely begin to skim the top-most surface of. But it made me think about the importance of simplicity in company-building:
What is most important? Unexpected and challenging moments can make it very clear what’s most important. The LA wildfires did this for me in my personal life. Are you and your leaders/team mates clear on what is most important?
Where are you doing things because “that’s how it’s done” or “that’s how everyone else is doing it”? It can feel difficult to do something different - that’s innovation!
What is less important or not important? What needs to be de-prioritized so you can focus on what’s important? These decisions can feel hard and sometimes even risky, but they are necessary.
How do you need to re-organize around what’s most important? How do you need to focus your energy, effort, and resources? What systems and processes need to be re-evaluated?
Example: I worked with a Head of People that had built out a Learning and Development function which, over just a few years, accumulated a lot of tools, resources, and programs. This came from the good intent of meeting everyone’s needs and building something best-in-class. They built a Netflix-like system which was tech-sexy and was supposed to be a plug-and-play experience where anyone could find what they needed for their learning and development. However, it became difficult for employees to navigate. Much like the common experience with Netflix, there were so many resources but not enough resources at the same time. I worked with this client on a clear, agile strategy that was tightly aligned with their company’s business goals. We re-designed the system, storing (not cutting) the “excess” and re-organizing everything to focus on what really mattered. We had to let go of how things are done. We focused on an approach that would move the needle. It worked.
Keep it simple. If you’ve ever tried to “kondo”, you know this is easier said than done. It can feel like the hardest thing to do and sometimes it feels easier just to keep on as is. But once you have things in place to support and protect what’s most important and stay agile, you will see the throughline of impact.