Cut the Clutter: A Lesson in Simplifying Work That Matters

One of my favorite stories about simplifying work comes from my time at GHSP, where Jerry Scott was CEO. It was a period of rapid growth for the company, and keeping up with the opportunities before us required streamlining of how we operated. Jerry identified one particular area that needed attention: the amount of record-keeping and documentation we were doing.

To be fair, much of this work was critical. When you’re in a business that creates highly engineered products, good documentation—from design to development to testing—is a must. We also needed financial reporting to understand where and how we were making money. But as we grew, a lot of data and reports were being generated—and it wasn’t always clear how much of it was actually being used.

Jerry’s solution was bold and refreshingly simple. He addressed the entire company and said, “For the next 30 days, I want everyone to stop sending the reports and documents you’re currently creating. If no one asks for them during this time, we’re going to stop doing them.”

The results were striking. Some things, of course, were flagged as non-negotiable—like reports required by quality standards or customers. But a surprising amount of work simply disappeared. Nobody asked for it. Nobody missed it. The experiment revealed just how much unnecessary effort had been accumulating over time.

This experience highlights a key truth about work: It has a tendency to expand. Tasks are created for valid reasons, but when those reasons disappear, we often forget to stop the tasks. Jerry’s challenge was a powerful reminder to periodically ask ourselves:

· What work is truly necessary?

· When, where, and how is it needed?

· In what form is it most useful?

Even better, we should go a step further and talk to the recipients of our work. Ask them: Do you use this? Is it still relevant? Can we simplify or stop it altogether?

Thanks to Jerry’s leadership, we were able to eliminate unnecessary work and refocus on what truly mattered. It’s a lesson in simplicity that has stuck with me ever since.

About the Author

Paul Doyle
Paul Doyle is the founder of LeaderWork. He brings more than 35 years of diverse business experience, including 15 years as a CEO, leading manufacturing companies. Paul has been active in North America with companies ranging from $20 million to $450 million in revenue.