“Difficult” vs “Complex”

Written By Allen Shaw

The solution for a complex problem requires intimate knowledge, so you can't avoid being involved. But simple tasks, even difficult ones, can be delegated.

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Staging a play takes a lot of work.

Some of it is just hard work, requiring significant time or effort.

  • Building the set

  • Selecting and acquiring the right props and costumes

  • Memorizing lines

  • Showing up for rehearsals

  • Editing the playbill

  • Getting the word out

  • Ticket sales

  • Ushering patrons to their seats

But some of it is complex.

  • Coordinating the actors' movements on-stage

  • Deciding on cues for lighting and sound

  • Working around the unplanned absence of cast or crew

  • Finding and expressing the emotional arc of the script

A smart director knows he can delegate most of the hard work,
but that he must be involved in most of the complex decisions.

That's because complexity requires intimate knowledge of both the larger picture and the details, while hard work "just" requires time, effort, and dedication.

Here's the thing:

Guiding your constituents forward in their journey with your mission will involve both difficult tasks and complex challenges.

It's helpful to remember that those are not the same thing.

  • Designing a well-segmented communication strategy to reach your constituents effectively en masse — that's complex. It requires intimate knowledge of your situation and your people, and careful arrangement of many interrelated components.

  • Ensuring the data for each constituent is properly recorded — that's merely difficult. It “just” requires attention to detail and consistent effort.

As a leader in your organization, understanding where your attention is most valuable, and where you can afford to delegate, can make or break the success of your efforts.

The stage director can't afford to get lost in sewing costumes or seating patrons. He must remain focused on coordinating the complex details that only he can address.

You, too, can afford to delegate and outsource many of the difficult tasks in your work.

But the complex tasks will always need your attention.

All the best,
A.

Allen Shaw
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