Lisa Bodell

Let me give you an example when we started working with Pfizer. Their CEO realized that they were drowning in unnecessary work because one of the things that they had ranked lowest in in their employee engagement survey was ability to get things done. And that's a problem. That means you can't focus. You can't move fast enough. You're not able to create change.

Let me give you an example when we started working with Pfizer. Their CEO realized that they were drowning in unnecessary work because one of the things that they had ranked lowest in in their employee engagement survey was ability to get things done. And that's a problem. That means you can't focus. You can't move fast enough. You're not able to create change.

So he decided that he wanted his whole organization to simplify. Our organization was brought in to train their 40 simplicity champions around the world. And to do that, it starts by inspiring people and aligning them that simplicity and subtraction is just as important in your work as addition. We always like to add things, but we never think to subtract.

So he decided that he wanted his whole organization to simplify. Our organization was brought in to train their 40 simplicity champions around the world. And to do that, it starts by inspiring people and aligning them that simplicity and subtraction is just as important in your work as addition. We always like to add things, but we never think to subtract.

I actually inspire large teams through keynotes to do that and set the stage for management's vision. My teams then come in and with these simplicity champions at Pfizer, we taught them a technique that they could use over and over again. Because complexity is like a weed, it grows back. You have to keep getting rid of it. And that technique was called kill a stupid rule.

I actually inspire large teams through keynotes to do that and set the stage for management's vision. My teams then come in and with these simplicity champions at Pfizer, we taught them a technique that they could use over and over again. Because complexity is like a weed, it grows back. You have to keep getting rid of it. And that technique was called kill a stupid rule.

You tell people if they could share and get rid of any rule at work that would help them be more innovative, reach their goals, move faster, what would they be? And the only rule to this game is that it has to be within their sphere of control, within their team. Because we want to affect change on a daily basis. We want to give them hours back in their day, right?

You tell people if they could share and get rid of any rule at work that would help them be more innovative, reach their goals, move faster, what would they be? And the only rule to this game is that it has to be within their sphere of control, within their team. Because we want to affect change on a daily basis. We want to give them hours back in their day, right?

Not complain about legal and procurement and all that stuff they have no control over. Teams came up with thousands of rules, thousands. They saved millions of dollars, hundreds of thousands of hours. And the things that they came up with were silly daily work. It could be unnecessary zombie meetings. It could be reports.

Not complain about legal and procurement and all that stuff they have no control over. Teams came up with thousands of rules, thousands. They saved millions of dollars, hundreds of thousands of hours. And the things that they came up with were silly daily work. It could be unnecessary zombie meetings. It could be reports.

It could be old practices and processes that were had too many steps, but nobody took the time to question them. It could be redundant phone calls or follow ups that were no longer necessary. It was inviting too many people to meetings or copying too many people on email. Simple work of work things. By creating that practice for them and arming them with a simple technique, we changed the culture.

It could be old practices and processes that were had too many steps, but nobody took the time to question them. It could be redundant phone calls or follow ups that were no longer necessary. It was inviting too many people to meetings or copying too many people on email. Simple work of work things. By creating that practice for them and arming them with a simple technique, we changed the culture.

We taught them that getting rid of is more important than doing more. And I'm not surprised that they were able to come up with a vaccine during the pandemic as quickly as they did, because they had laid the groundwork in advance to get rid of the things that were taking them away from the things that mattered. Because that's what simplicity does.

We taught them that getting rid of is more important than doing more. And I'm not surprised that they were able to come up with a vaccine during the pandemic as quickly as they did, because they had laid the groundwork in advance to get rid of the things that were taking them away from the things that mattered. Because that's what simplicity does.

It lets you focus on what matters, and that's innovation and change.

It lets you focus on what matters, and that's innovation and change.

I think, first of all, just deciding that you want to is helpful, right? Because I think a lot of people put up with chaos because they feel that it's part of hustle culture. It's busy, right? And busy makes us feel valuable. I think a lot of people also just put up with simplicity, excuse me, complexity, because they feel that it makes them valuable by doing more.

I think, first of all, just deciding that you want to is helpful, right? Because I think a lot of people put up with chaos because they feel that it's part of hustle culture. It's busy, right? And busy makes us feel valuable. I think a lot of people also just put up with simplicity, excuse me, complexity, because they feel that it makes them valuable by doing more.

They typically are rewarded for doing more, not valuable. And they think that they can multitask their way through it. And they can't. It's not just that work is at a breaking point. People are. And so being able to set that you want to simplify is the first step. The second thing is defining what meaningful work is.

They typically are rewarded for doing more, not valuable. And they think that they can multitask their way through it. And they can't. It's not just that work is at a breaking point. People are. And so being able to set that you want to simplify is the first step. The second thing is defining what meaningful work is.