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Six Simple Rules: How to Manage Complexity without Getting Complicated
New tools for managing complexity
Does your organization manage complexity by making things more complicated? If so, you are not alone.
According to The Boston Consulting Group's fascinating Complexity Index, business complexity has increased sixfold during the past sixty years. And, all the while, organizational complicatedness--that is, the number of structures, processes, committees, decision-making forums, and systems--has increased by a whopping factor of thirty-five. In their attempt to respond to the increasingly complex performance requirements they face, company leaders have created an organizational labyrinth that makes it more and more difficult to improve productivity and to pursue innovation. It also disengages and demotivates the workforce.
Clearly it's time for leaders to stop trying to manage complexity with their traditional tools and instead better leverage employees' intelligence. This book shows you how and explains the implications for designing and leading organizations.
The way to manage complexity, the authors argue, is neither with the hard solutions of another era nor with the soft solutions--such as team building and feel-good "people initiatives"--that often follow in their wake. Based on social sciences (notably economics, game theory, and organizational sociology) and The Boston Consulting Group's work with more than five hundred companies in more than forty countries and in various industries, authors Yves Morieux and Peter Tollman recommend six simple rules to manage complexity without getting complicated.
Showing why the rules work and how to put them into practice, Morieux and Tollman give managers a much-needed tool to reinvigorate people in the face of seemingly endless complexity. Included are detailed examples from companies that have achieved a multiplicative effect on performance by using them.
It's time to manage complexity better. Employ these six simple rules to foster autonomy and cooperation and to effectively handle business complexity. As a result, you will improve productivity, innovate more, reengage your workforce, and seize opportunities to create competitive advantage.
Does your organization manage complexity by making things more complicated? If so, you are not alone.
According to The Boston Consulting Group's fascinating Complexity Index, business complexity has increased sixfold during the past sixty years. And, all the while, organizational complicatedness--that is, the number of structures, processes, committees, decision-making forums, and systems--has increased by a whopping factor of thirty-five. In their attempt to respond to the increasingly complex performance requirements they face, company leaders have created an organizational labyrinth that makes it more and more difficult to improve productivity and to pursue innovation. It also disengages and demotivates the workforce.
Clearly it's time for leaders to stop trying to manage complexity with their traditional tools and instead better leverage employees' intelligence. This book shows you how and explains the implications for designing and leading organizations.
The way to manage complexity, the authors argue, is neither with the hard solutions of another era nor with the soft solutions--such as team building and feel-good "people initiatives"--that often follow in their wake. Based on social sciences (notably economics, game theory, and organizational sociology) and The Boston Consulting Group's work with more than five hundred companies in more than forty countries and in various industries, authors Yves Morieux and Peter Tollman recommend six simple rules to manage complexity without getting complicated.
Showing why the rules work and how to put them into practice, Morieux and Tollman give managers a much-needed tool to reinvigorate people in the face of seemingly endless complexity. Included are detailed examples from companies that have achieved a multiplicative effect on performance by using them.
It's time to manage complexity better. Employ these six simple rules to foster autonomy and cooperation and to effectively handle business complexity. As a result, you will improve productivity, innovate more, reengage your workforce, and seize opportunities to create competitive advantage.
232 pages, Kindle Edition
First published January 1, 2014
171 people are currently reading
1342 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 50 reviews
November 13, 2015
Finally.
I thought, I'll never finish this one.
Language is needlessly complicated adding to the 'complicatedness' of the book (you'll need to endure the book to understand the word).
The stories, that support the arguments, are ranging from nice to artificially stitched to support whatever idea the authors had.
It's more six cases of the authors experience than a complete, comprehensive model of six rules. Each of the stories had some lead catch phrase, that were coined into six rules.
They try to be controversial by stating that the old ways (hard approach - structures, kpis and soft approach - culture, motivation) are obsolete, but at the same time, they use the old ways as solutions to the problems presented. Granted they take some clever (read consulting) word mincing to prove they bring something original, but no, at the end it's just restructuring, broader targets, performance improvement targets and kpis.
I thought, I'll never finish this one.
Language is needlessly complicated adding to the 'complicatedness' of the book (you'll need to endure the book to understand the word).
The stories, that support the arguments, are ranging from nice to artificially stitched to support whatever idea the authors had.
It's more six cases of the authors experience than a complete, comprehensive model of six rules. Each of the stories had some lead catch phrase, that were coined into six rules.
They try to be controversial by stating that the old ways (hard approach - structures, kpis and soft approach - culture, motivation) are obsolete, but at the same time, they use the old ways as solutions to the problems presented. Granted they take some clever (read consulting) word mincing to prove they bring something original, but no, at the end it's just restructuring, broader targets, performance improvement targets and kpis.
January 17, 2015
One the most insightful books on management theory I've ever read.
Through a lens of systems thinking and game theory, the author breaks management down in to one simple truth: context matters.
Through a lens of systems thinking and game theory, the author breaks management down in to one simple truth: context matters.
September 8, 2016
Reinvention of Agile and Lean without any references to them, but with good insights and nice examples.
February 12, 2017
I read this book in a week. I guess the last document I read on BCG was the "matrix" they created several years ago. This time -given the huge expertise they have worldwide - BCG makes everything more simple (not easier) splitting -and fixing-all the managerial aspects of the company into 2 pillars: (1) hard [structure, metrics]and (2) soft [feelings, traits]. However, they say this pillars are obsolete and something needs to be done to create impact and increase employees engagement.
That being said, BCG thinks the best way to tackle this issue is by following 6 steps that make complexity go away.
- Understand what others do.
- Reinforce integrators
- Increase total amount of power
- Extend the shadow of the future (I loved this one)
- Increase reciprocity
- Reward those who cooperate (blame is not for failure, it is for failure to help or ask for help).
Useful book. Completely worth it and immersive. Yves Morieux also has a TED talk in which he explains all of this.
That being said, BCG thinks the best way to tackle this issue is by following 6 steps that make complexity go away.
- Understand what others do.
- Reinforce integrators
- Increase total amount of power
- Extend the shadow of the future (I loved this one)
- Increase reciprocity
- Reward those who cooperate (blame is not for failure, it is for failure to help or ask for help).
Useful book. Completely worth it and immersive. Yves Morieux also has a TED talk in which he explains all of this.
November 23, 2014
The basic ideas are good and very useful. It will certainly make me rethink some of the things I was doing and it.
But I found it hard to read it as I felt the language was mostly artificial. For example
"They can do so by framing rich objectives and then embedding feedback loops that retain the benefits of specialization while ensuring a synergistic interplay" - sorry, I understand what you mean but you don't have to phrase it like this.
But I found it hard to read it as I felt the language was mostly artificial. For example
"They can do so by framing rich objectives and then embedding feedback loops that retain the benefits of specialization while ensuring a synergistic interplay" - sorry, I understand what you mean but you don't have to phrase it like this.
October 25, 2018
Brilliant book, incredible eye open for the big organisations.
Worth of every penny :)
Worth of every penny :)
November 1, 2025
As a rule, I'm always into simplifying things, especially in business, so this book's premise immediately appealed to me. The six rules themselves make complete sense: understand what others do, strengthen integrators, increase total organizational power, rely on feedback instead of rules, improve mutual consequences, and help people see the whole system.
The authors do a solid job proving their theory with real-world examples, but here's where my frustration kicked in: the examples got longwinded after a while. Sometimes it felt like "save money, here's a story of someone who saved money and guess what, they had more money!" I'm being a bit facetious, but you get the point.
My bigger issue is the book's blind spot. This is all excellent theory for management consultants, but most people working in complexity-burdened organizations aren't in positions to clear up that complexity. They're more likely to have bosses adding even more rules instead of making things easier. The people who need this simplification are stuck with whatever the organization decides for them.
That said, there are truths here I'll remember for my own career, insights I can bring into discussions I actually can help shape. Do you really need a whole book to explain six simple things? Probably not. But if you're in a leadership position where you can implement change, this is worth your time.
The authors do a solid job proving their theory with real-world examples, but here's where my frustration kicked in: the examples got longwinded after a while. Sometimes it felt like "save money, here's a story of someone who saved money and guess what, they had more money!" I'm being a bit facetious, but you get the point.
My bigger issue is the book's blind spot. This is all excellent theory for management consultants, but most people working in complexity-burdened organizations aren't in positions to clear up that complexity. They're more likely to have bosses adding even more rules instead of making things easier. The people who need this simplification are stuck with whatever the organization decides for them.
That said, there are truths here I'll remember for my own career, insights I can bring into discussions I actually can help shape. Do you really need a whole book to explain six simple things? Probably not. But if you're in a leadership position where you can implement change, this is worth your time.
January 12, 2019
This is the best management theory book I’ve ever read. Bright and explained in such a simple way (as the tittle says: “without getting complicated”)!. I recommend to listen to the author’s TED speech, too. Excellent!.
December 29, 2020
Much like an osteopath, Yves Morieux details the many blockers organizations generate over time and the simple ways to get rid of them.
Excellent read, even more relevant today to stay nimble and go far together.
Excellent read, even more relevant today to stay nimble and go far together.
March 9, 2019
Organisations struggle to adapt the way they work to the changing (business) environment and therefore lose 'competiveness'. How can we fight this 'decay' within the organisation? Their are literally thousands of books that tackle this topic in one way or another, so what makes this book stand out?
The authors define the problem in terms of an ever increasing external complexity that leads to internal complicatedness. The book has resonated with me, because I have witnessed the same symptoms the authors describe too many times myself. But it is one thing to describe the symptoms, it is quit another to come up with a simple framework of rules that should help you tackle this challenge. I personnaly feel the authors have done a very good job of getting to six of the main levers that can help you understand why the organisation is functioning as it is. There is always a logic to the madness. Only when you have well understood the organisational challenge, you can come up with a good solution. That solution should be built together with the stakeholders, supporting collaboration and driving towards the goals of the organisation.
There are some minor issues I have with the book, but overall this is a thoughtfull analysis of the problems organisations face in real life and practical cases where the authors demonstrate the application of the six simple rules. Highly recommended.
The authors define the problem in terms of an ever increasing external complexity that leads to internal complicatedness. The book has resonated with me, because I have witnessed the same symptoms the authors describe too many times myself. But it is one thing to describe the symptoms, it is quit another to come up with a simple framework of rules that should help you tackle this challenge. I personnaly feel the authors have done a very good job of getting to six of the main levers that can help you understand why the organisation is functioning as it is. There is always a logic to the madness. Only when you have well understood the organisational challenge, you can come up with a good solution. That solution should be built together with the stakeholders, supporting collaboration and driving towards the goals of the organisation.
There are some minor issues I have with the book, but overall this is a thoughtfull analysis of the problems organisations face in real life and practical cases where the authors demonstrate the application of the six simple rules. Highly recommended.
March 24, 2023
Very thought-provoking.
Nice case studies to illustrate key points/concepts.
I kept finding myself recommending it to friends and colleagues.
I had long gaps between reading stints, so probably need to re-read (already).
Nice case studies to illustrate key points/concepts.
I kept finding myself recommending it to friends and colleagues.
I had long gaps between reading stints, so probably need to re-read (already).
August 28, 2019
Good, to the point, book on managing compelxity in management work. Not that comprehensive as I expected, it provides good and working solutions in the form of six simple rules:
1. Understand What Your People Do (not what is written on their business cards or in ToRs)
2. Reinforce Integrators
3. Increase the Total Quantity of Power
4. Increase Reciprocity
5. Extend the Shadow of Future (this one was really good)
6. Reward Those Who Cooperate
P.S. I am not completely sure how I got this book, as it was a number of references to it.
1. Understand What Your People Do (not what is written on their business cards or in ToRs)
2. Reinforce Integrators
3. Increase the Total Quantity of Power
4. Increase Reciprocity
5. Extend the Shadow of Future (this one was really good)
6. Reward Those Who Cooperate
P.S. I am not completely sure how I got this book, as it was a number of references to it.
July 7, 2016
This book could have been easily written as an HBR article. The contents dont display enough merit to publish it into a book.
The examples shared to support the hypothesis behind the six rather naive rules sound rather artificial and the solutions developed by the consultants not very inspiring.
I dont understand how the authors developed a rule based on a single example.
Finally, i have to give it to some really bad editing. The language is quite twisted and seems like a simple concept is being stretched to forcefit onto what authors have already concluded to be the approach.
Will not recommend reading!
The examples shared to support the hypothesis behind the six rather naive rules sound rather artificial and the solutions developed by the consultants not very inspiring.
I dont understand how the authors developed a rule based on a single example.
Finally, i have to give it to some really bad editing. The language is quite twisted and seems like a simple concept is being stretched to forcefit onto what authors have already concluded to be the approach.
Will not recommend reading!
November 10, 2018
Companies have only gotten more complex since the 1950s. Frequently large organizations just layer on more management and procedures instead of empowering those at the problem with enough authority to fix the problem.
Why I started this book: Quick audio and an easy way to cross off another book from my professional reading list.
Why I finished it: Same reason as above. Very easy to listen to and forget. The key thing that I remember just hours after finishing it is that employees are perfectly adaptable and will adapt to management's actions by positive and negative.
Why I started this book: Quick audio and an easy way to cross off another book from my professional reading list.
Why I finished it: Same reason as above. Very easy to listen to and forget. The key thing that I remember just hours after finishing it is that employees are perfectly adaptable and will adapt to management's actions by positive and negative.
May 4, 2022
Mainly focussed around co-operation and how to structure organisations and roles to encourage co-operation, with the intent that this will allow solutions you otherwise couldn’t find. Some areas were thought provoking but the overall idea that you should talk to your staff and encourage them to co-operate felt a little simplistic.
May 9, 2016
Hands down one of the most boring business books I've ever read. The six simple rules are stale renditions of well-documented management principles.
January 17, 2020
Could be an article.
July 14, 2022
According to BCG, in 1955, companies typically committed to between 4 and 7 performance imperatives ; today they commit to between 25 and 40.
6 simple rules :
1. understand what your people do :
1 analyze the work context : goals resources and constraints
2 understand how organizational structures, processes, and systems affect the work context
Avoid being led astray by the hard and soft approaches
2. reinforce integrators
Find operational units that can play the role of integrators.
Among your integrators, remove those who cannot add value, and help the efficient one by removing processes and rules
3. increase total quantity of power
Power is the ability to make difference on one issue. When you take decisions, see if you create power that you give to a part of the organization
4. Increase reciprocity
The success of one depends on the successes of others. The way to create that reciprocity is by setting rich objectives and reinforcing them by eliminating monopolies, reducing resources and creating new networks of interaction.
5. extend the shadow of the future
4 ways to extend the shadow of the future : tighten the feedback loop, bring the endpoint forward - by shortening the duration of projects, tie futures together, make people walk in the shoes they make for others
6. reward those who cooperate
« When another unit causes you to be late, you are going to be the one that takes the blame »
Jorgen vig knudstorp, CEO of the Lego group : « blame is not for failure, it is for failing to help or ask for help »
Conclusion :
1. Use pain points to discover interdependencies and cooperation needs
2. Discover obstacles to cooperation
3. Capture the benefits
6 simple rules :
1. understand what your people do :
1 analyze the work context : goals resources and constraints
2 understand how organizational structures, processes, and systems affect the work context
Avoid being led astray by the hard and soft approaches
2. reinforce integrators
Find operational units that can play the role of integrators.
Among your integrators, remove those who cannot add value, and help the efficient one by removing processes and rules
3. increase total quantity of power
Power is the ability to make difference on one issue. When you take decisions, see if you create power that you give to a part of the organization
4. Increase reciprocity
The success of one depends on the successes of others. The way to create that reciprocity is by setting rich objectives and reinforcing them by eliminating monopolies, reducing resources and creating new networks of interaction.
5. extend the shadow of the future
4 ways to extend the shadow of the future : tighten the feedback loop, bring the endpoint forward - by shortening the duration of projects, tie futures together, make people walk in the shoes they make for others
6. reward those who cooperate
« When another unit causes you to be late, you are going to be the one that takes the blame »
Jorgen vig knudstorp, CEO of the Lego group : « blame is not for failure, it is for failing to help or ask for help »
Conclusion :
1. Use pain points to discover interdependencies and cooperation needs
2. Discover obstacles to cooperation
3. Capture the benefits
November 21, 2019
A very relevant book which should be read by all existing and aspiring managers. It would be particularly useful, if read by top management, which so often remains set in the old ways, which the book appeals to abandon in the modern world, fraught with complexity. “Old ways” in the book encompass both hard, and soft, methods of management. The former based on structures, procedures, detailed fixed processes, KPIs, complex reporting lines, precise job descriptions, the latter - on motivational speeches, company off-sites, annual appraisal pep talks. In the authors’ opinion, easily shared by the reader, these methods fail to deliver former value in the modern, fast-changing, and multi-dimensional, world. The six simple rules should to a large extent replace these old methods. So far, so good...
The issue with the book is that, without it being read, and absorbed, by top managers of companies, the six simple rules seem unlikely to end up ruling the world of business, as the principles described can only permeate downwards. The top managers, however, will not allocate time to a book which explains “simple rules” in 200 pages. The book contains many repetitions. For a reasonably bright person, and it has to be assumed that CEOs fit in this category, a concept does not need to be described in fine detail, and repeated three times again, in order to be understood. It is for this reason why the book was not accorded a full 5* rating.
The issue with the book is that, without it being read, and absorbed, by top managers of companies, the six simple rules seem unlikely to end up ruling the world of business, as the principles described can only permeate downwards. The top managers, however, will not allocate time to a book which explains “simple rules” in 200 pages. The book contains many repetitions. For a reasonably bright person, and it has to be assumed that CEOs fit in this category, a concept does not need to be described in fine detail, and repeated three times again, in order to be understood. It is for this reason why the book was not accorded a full 5* rating.
October 18, 2017
I'm still processing how to apply all of the ideas in this book to my work context...
But while reading it, I've already come up with ways to improve what I do, and how to help others promote autonomy and cooperation in their departments as well.
It should be obvious that cooperation is the key to success in business, but for those of you that still don't get it, take the time to read this book.
All businesses are people business, and business outcomes are based on the work that those people do, how well they do it, and how they work with others.
This book brilliantly explains how to transform your business to deal with modern complexity without complicating things.
But while reading it, I've already come up with ways to improve what I do, and how to help others promote autonomy and cooperation in their departments as well.
It should be obvious that cooperation is the key to success in business, but for those of you that still don't get it, take the time to read this book.
All businesses are people business, and business outcomes are based on the work that those people do, how well they do it, and how they work with others.
This book brilliantly explains how to transform your business to deal with modern complexity without complicating things.
November 30, 2018
The actual rules reflected are really good. The book is not the most enjoyable to read though. When I've read something similar in the past, I'm left wondering what the authors priorities were. Was imparting the knowledge to help others make improvements at the top of the list or was it to sound very, very smart? It's kind of a shame. As a librarian, I do love a big vocabulary, although...well, I don't want to beat the proverbial dead horse.
December 31, 2017
A very smart model for complex global businesses
The smart simplicity model makes absolute sense in the current over complicated and distracted world today. The six rules contain practical methods to make a shift into this way of working eminently achievable. I thoroughly recommend this book.
The smart simplicity model makes absolute sense in the current over complicated and distracted world today. The six rules contain practical methods to make a shift into this way of working eminently achievable. I thoroughly recommend this book.
May 28, 2019
Moim zdaniem szkoda czasu na tę książkę. Jest to typowy konsultingowy BS. Poszczególne "zasady" nie wynikają z systematycznych badań z obszaru zarządzania, a raczej są zbiorem rad, które zagrały w różnych przypadkach, z którymi autor miał styczność. Warto sięgnąć po pozycje mające bardziej systematyczne podejście.
April 16, 2020
Creo que es muy útil para quienes trabajamos en multinacionales ya que da una visión diferente de cómo organizarse para mejorar los resultados apartándose tanto de las teorías más de corte “hard “organizativo puro y duro como de las más soft que ponen el foco el motivar y dirigir coMportamientos , poniendo el foco en el COLABORADOR E INTEGRADOR como pieza clave en una organización.
November 23, 2019
Excellent advice to simplify innovation efforts
A great book to learn best practices for change management within complex systems that often stubbornly resist innovation. Keep in by your bedside and read it again and again!
A great book to learn best practices for change management within complex systems that often stubbornly resist innovation. Keep in by your bedside and read it again and again!
July 15, 2022
I hate this book. It's a brilliant book, I gave it 4 stars, but I hate it. Very insightful. But written for old school managers who see their job as getting other people to do things they otherwise would not.
September 28, 2025
Outstanding book. These rules are really useful for employees who work in a matrix organization, and with old school hierarchical structure.
Lot of great insights (+ interesting misconceptions) on what drives employee cooperation and decision making.
Lot of great insights (+ interesting misconceptions) on what drives employee cooperation and decision making.
May 30, 2019
Some parts are really good, but others are very long to explain a simple idea or put an example. Nevertheless, some cases helped me to identify patterns in organizational behavior.
January 28, 2020
Definitely a must read for aspiring leaders and young managers
February 23, 2020
Good book with a lot of practical examples of how to apply rules.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 50 reviews