198. Lisa Bodell – Simplicity

“Ideas aren’t the problem. People have lots of ideas, but they don’t have time to think. Thinking has become a daring act within organizations, and in our culture, because we are part of the ‘cult of busy’.”

Chapters:

• 00:00 Introduction to Lisa Bodell and the Importance of Simplicity
• 03:20 Eliminating Complexity and Drowning in Work
• 07:17 Challenging Assumptions and Reversing Unproductive Rules
• 13:09 Simplification as the Route to Innovation
• 16:11 Generosity: Giving Time and Helping Others
• 19:02 From Managing to Leading: Prioritizing Meaningful Work
• 20:42 Cultivating a Culture of Simplicity and Meaningful Work
• 21:08 The Importance of Vulnerability and Killing Stupid Rules
• 22:26 Asking Quality Questions to Identify and Eliminate Unnecessary Tasks
• 24:05 Change as a Choice: Recognizing the Power to Simplify
• 30:37 Setting Boundaries on Time: Prioritizing Tasks for Improved Productivity

Episode Summary:

Lisa Bodell, a global leader on simplification, collaboration, and innovation, discusses the importance of simplicity in organizations. She emphasizes the need to eliminate unnecessary complexity and create space for thinking and innovation. Lisa shares strategies for challenging assumptions, reversing unproductive rules, and managing time effectively. She also highlights the value of generosity and the difference between managing and leading.

Overall, Lisa advocates for a cultural shift towards simplicity and meaningful work. In this conversation, Lisa Bodell and Shannon Cassidy discuss the importance of simplicity and how to eliminate unnecessary rules and tasks in order to create a more efficient and productive work environment. They emphasize the need for leaders to model vulnerability and be open to killing stupid rules. They also discuss the challenges of implementing simplicity when the leader is resistant to change.

The conversation covers topics such as identifying and eliminating unnecessary rules, simplifying processes, setting boundaries on time, and the importance of asking quality questions. The key takeaways include the importance of simplicity as a strategy, the need for leaders to empower their teams, the value of questioning why, and the recognition that change is a choice.

R.O.G. Takeaway Tips:

• Eliminating unnecessary complexity and simplifying processes is essential for innovation and creativity.
• Challenging assumptions and reversing unproductive rules can lead to more effective and efficient work.
• Managing time is not the same as leading; leaders prioritize meaningful work and create space for thinking.
• Generosity is not just about giving money, but also about giving time and helping others reach their potential.
• A cultural shift towards simplicity and meaningful work is necessary for organizations to thrive. Simplicity should be a strategy and a principle in the workplace.
• Leaders should model vulnerability and be open to killing unnecessary rules.
• Asking quality questions, such as ‘why’ and ‘what is holding you back,’ is important for identifying and eliminating unnecessary tasks.
• Change is a choice, and being busy is a choice that can be changed.
• Setting boundaries on time and prioritizing tasks is essential for simplifying and improving productivity.

Guest Bio:

Lisa Bodell, a global leader on simplification, collaboration, and innovation, has a solution. Lisa shows organizations how to eliminate complexity and leverage simplicity – unleashing creativity and sparking the energy so essential to innovate and compete in a rapidly changing world. FutureThink, which she founded in 2003, works with leading brands worldwide and has become the largest source of innovation research, tools, and training in the world.  Lisa’s keynotes leave audiences inspired to change and arms them with radically simple tools to get to the work that matters. 

After earning her business degree from University of Michigan, Lisa launched her career at Leo Burnett in Chicago, where she discovered a gift for uniting strategically-driven ideas with forward-thinking themes. She went on to build two successful businesses before moving to New York and focusing on the simplification and innovation space with FutureThink.

Awards, Accolades & Accomplishments

• Lisa is the author of two groundbreaking books, Why Simple Wins: Escape the Complexity Trap and Get to Work That Matters and Kill the Company: End the Status Quo, Start an Innovation Revolution.
• Lisa brings a compelling perspective to the sought-after topics of simplification and innovation to over 100,000 people each year. 
• A thought leader and serial entrepreneur, her transformational message has inspired executives at top-ranked organizations such as Google, SAP, Citigroup, and the Department of National Intelligence.
• She is a monthly contributor to Forbes and has frequently appeared in other media including: Fast Company, WIRED, The New York Times, Inc., Harvard Business Review, and CNN.
• She has also been featured in many major books such as Warren Berger’s A More Beautiful Question, Adam Grant’s Originals, and AfterShock, the 50-year celebration based on futurist Alvin Toffler’s Future Shock.  
• She ranks on the list of Top 50 Speakers Worldwide and captivates audiences with her energy and humor.

Lisa has taught innovation at both American University and Fordham University and has a TED talk on the topic.  She has served on the board of advisors of several organizations, including the Global Agenda Council for the World Economic Forum, the United States National Security Agency, the Association of Professional Futurists, and the Novartis boards of Diversity & Inclusion and Culture.

Resources:

• Why Simple Wins
• Kill the Company: End the Status Quo, Start an Innovation Revolution 
• Follow Lisa on LinkedIn
• Follow Lisa on X
• View clips of Lisa’s presentations
• Visit FutureThink

Where to find R.O.G. Podcast:

• R.O.G on YouTube
• R.O.G on Apple Podcasts
• R.O.G on Spotify

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Credits:

Lisa Bodell, Sheep Jam Productions, Host Shannon Cassidy, Bridge Between, Inc.

Coming Next: Please join us next week, Episode 199, Special Guest, Edwige Robinson.