Great leaders are almost always simplifiers, who can cut through argument, debate, and doubt to offer a solution everybody can understand. – Colin Powell 

We are all leaders. We have a choice to either strive to be great or simply lead from the status quo. The ability to see through the fog of complexity, identify the heart of the issue, and synthesize an easy to understand solution is often our goal as leaders. Synthesizing complex problems into simple solutions takes skill . . . skill we must choose to build and develop.

Too often, we are told to “think outside the box.” Outside the box thinking may miss the mark because the problem itself isn’t identified. I’d rather look inside the box to identify the issue – then look everywhere to find the solution. The key is to first listen and observe the argument, debate, and doubt . . . then seek to simplify the real issues before leading the search for solutions. It takes skill, effort, and work to offer understandable solutions.