Excellence to Eminence

Living Our Values

Simplicity in Our Work

At a complex institution such as Ohio State, it might seem that simplicity isn’t how the university operates, or that an individual can’t affect complex processes. While complexity is part of modern life and an institution of this size, creating simplicity where possible helps achieve stronger results. The best place to start is at the individual level.

Ohio State defines Simplicity in Our Work as striving to make work simple and efficient. This means individuals complete work quickly and efficiently by being resourceful, removing obstacles, and surfacing issues quickly. Also, communicating clearly and concisely, and preparing for and contributing in meetings is important. Finally, one recognizes times when perfection is not necessary and moves on with the work.

Simplicity sounds easy to achieve, but it can be hard to think about where to start. Here are some tips to help you bring simplicity to your day:

• Make simplicity a priority. Regularly assess your processes and how you spend your time. Identify the times when you could have been more efficient, and implement strategies to address these inefficiencies.
• Understand what processes are necessary. Acknowledge the times when complexity can’t be helped, and find ways to work within that process. This helps you anticipate delays, and reduces frustration.
• Seek diverse feedback on the processes you manage. Because we know our own work well, we can lose perspective, and not see when there might be a different or better way of doing something. Ask for feedback from those who use your processes or know your work.
• Focus on the task at hand. Be fully present to increase your efficiency and effectiveness.