I love the principle of Ocam’s Razor.  Basically it states that if there are more than one possible solutions to a problem, the simplest one is likely the best.  I have historically applied it in forecast reviews when a sales rep is explaining why a particular deal has not come in as planned.  The explanation usually goes something like this: “the paperwork has been on Mr. Big’s desk for two weeks and he will sign it as soon as he gets back from his attempt to become the first man to summit Mt. Everest naked.”  I’m having a little fun here but you would be surprised (or maybe you wouldn’t) at the things we can convince ourselves to believe to avoid facing reality.  I have known a lot of Mr./Ms. Bigs and they have the cleanest desks around.  Perhaps their single greatest characteristic, what got them to “Big” status, is their total intolerance for procrastination.  They make decisions and move on.  So, Ocam’s Razor says the deal isn’t done because Mr. Big isn’t convinced.

But I recently realized that the principle can and should be applied in reverse.  When solving a complex problem start with simplest answer.  Whether it’s pricing, organization structure or market positioning, if there are multiple solutions to the problem, the simplest one is likely to be the most successful.  It is certainly the best way to start, or restart.  Companies grow in layers, sort of like rings on a tree.  Each layer brings with it a little bit of complexity that incrementally weighs on the organization.  Company historians can explain why each decision was made and what research justified the decision at the time, but in the end the aggregation of all the layers creates a heavy company.  It’s slow and inefficient, but most importantly, people (employees, customers, partners, analysts) don’t understand it.  You have to get back to simple.  I used to say that a manager’s job “is to wake up every day and find the sh*t”.  But maybe a better, more positive spin, is to say their job is to wake up every day and find the simple.  I think Ocam would agree with that.

Good luck and good selling!

Please comment.  It would be great to have a conversation about selling and to hear a story or two.  If I don’t reply instantly, feel free to talk amongst yourselves until I get back ;-).

Image by Vince Vassallo via http://vincevassallo.blogspot.ca/