Simple Complexity - Guest Blog from Wade Leslie

Guest Blog - Wade Leslie
Robotics Engineer
Robotize.com.au

One of the authors that I highly respect and value the teachings of is Stephen Covey.  You will probably also find references to some of Covey’s teachings on leadership and effectiveness littered throughout Pete’s blog posts.

One of the ideas presented by Covey that has eluded my full understanding until recently is actually a quote by Oliver Wendell Holmes.

It goes like this:

I would not give a fig for the simplicity this side of complexity, but I would give my life for the simplicity on the other side of complexity.

I didn't quite get the idea of the far side of complexity until I paired this concept with another idea referenced in another business book, “Good to Great”.  In this book, (in my case audio-book) Jim Collins talks about the parable of the Fox and the Hedgehog and brings to life the idea of a Hedgehog concept. In its essence a Hedgehog concept is taking an understanding of the world around you in all its complexity; your strengths, weaknesses and what you enjoy, and breaking it down to a simple idea about what it is your business should do and the economic driver of this business. The Hedgehog concept is the junction between:

• What you love
• What you can be the best in the world at
• What will generate good revenue (See Good to Great, p. 118)

When you get it right it is simple. But it is the simplicity on the far side of complexity; it’s not simplicity ignoring the complexity.

The same can be said of a good mission statement, or perhaps even a good blog post. A good mission statement is short and punchy, yet encompasses the entire propose and values of a business, organisation or individual. It is simple but not simplistic.

Can your work be deciphered in all its complexity and narrowed down to one simple concept or mission?  To borrow another “Covey-ism”, of all the things you are doing or trying to achieve in your life or work, which one is “Widely Important” and an absolute non-negotiable?

___________________

Guest Blog by Wade Leslie

Robotics Engineer

www.robotize.com.au

Speak Simply! Communicate God's Word so People Understand

Now, I know you are a complex human being, but please, speak simply!

In George Muller's autobiography, he writes:

Simplicity in expression is of utmost importance. The teacher should speak so that even children and people who cannot read may be able to understand him, as far as the natural mind can comprehend the things of God. Every congregation has people of various educational and social backgrounds. The expounder of the truth of God speaks for God and for eternity. It is unlikely that he will benefit the hearers unless he uses plain speech (p. 34).

Even back in the mid 1800s, George Muller had a passion to communicate the Word of God in a way that the masses understood. Though Muller was an intelligent man, who spent much time studying Hebrew, Greek, etc, he was passionate about people understanding what is written in the Bible.

No doubt the Bible contains deep truths, that even the brightest of theologians struggle to grasp, but the challenge is to take complex ideas and thoughts and communicate them with simplicity.

I am always amazed when I read social media sites, and read of Christians quoting the King James Version of the Bible. I am sure King James, if he were alive today, would be very proud. In fact, thus saith the Lord, he speaketh very much happiness of this. What irks me about this, is not the message of the KJV per se, but rather the unnecessary hurdles we put in front of people in order for them to respond to the message of Christ.

Here are some tips on communicating effectively.

Let's make the gospel of Christ accessible to the average person.

Jesus died for your sins. Ask him for forgiveness. Start living for him today.

The challenge we each have, is to take the Word of God, in all of its fullness and its complexity and communicate the nuggets of truth that we derive from our engagement with it.

Take complex thought and make it simple.