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by Robin Sharma
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Simple Rules summary
Donald Sull
Kathleen Eisenhardt
How to Thrive in a Complex World
18 mins
Brief summary
'Simple Rules' by Donald Sull and Kathleen Eisenhardt is a business book that emphasizes on simplifying business decision-making processes by establishing flexible and adaptable high-level rules that lead to better results.
Table of Contents
Simple Rules
Summary of 8 key ideas
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Key idea 1 of 8
The world is overwhelmingly complex – but Simple Rules will help us cope.
Take a moment to imagine you’re a medical doctor at an army hospital. Several badly wounded patients come in, and you’re faced with the task of deciding whom to treat first. What do you do? Luckily for you, there are a handful of reliable rules to follow that’ll make things simpler.
Simple Rules are clear guidelines for well-defined activities or situations. Their purpose? To help you make good choices when things start to get convoluted.
Simple Rules reduce the factors you have to consider in a situation by highlighting the crucial, thus preventing you from ruminating over trivial details. This enables you to make good choices, and fast – something very useful in the case of an army hospital. How do you sort out what’s crucial in this hypothetical scenario?
Check your patients’ vital signs, such as their pulse, to estimate the severity of their condition. This takes less than a minute per patient. Those with the most alarming vital signs have to be treated first – unless they’re beyond hope, in which case you’d better focus on saving someone else’s life. Already this basic triage has lifted you clear of the pressing dilemma of what to do.
As one of the only tools that help us deal with complexity, we need Simple Rules more than ever. Our world is far from straightforward. Firstly, more and more things are interconnected – from our technological devices at home to markets around the globe. Moreover, our own rules and regulations have gotten so intricate that it’s hard to stay on top of things.
Just take the US tax code: it’s 3.8 million words long. To put that into context, that’s seven times longer than War and Peace! The code is so complicated that the government employs 1.2 million tax preparers just to cope. Unsurprisingly, the US tax code overwhelms even the experts: On average, every third piece of advice by an IRS expert is wrong.
In such a labyrinthine world, mistakes seem unavoidable. But with Simple Rules, you can better your chances of making your way through treacherously tangled situations. Find out more in the coming blinks.
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What is Simple Rules about?
Simple Rules (2015) contains the ultimate rules of thumb that’ll guide you to your goals in your professional life, and your personal life too. The tips provided in these blinks will help you rediscover simplicity in an increasingly complex modern world, without committing you to a crazy checklist that takes over your life.
Simple Rules Review
Simple Rules (2015) is an insightful book that explores how to navigate complex situations and make better decisions by using a set of clear and easy-to-follow rules. Here are three reasons why this book is worth reading:
- It offers a collection of practical guidelines that can be applied to various areas of life, helping readers simplify and clarify their decision-making process.
- Backed by extensive research and illustrated with real-life examples, the book provides a solid foundation for understanding the power and effectiveness of simple rules.
- The authors' approach, combining academic rigor with accessible storytelling, keeps readers engaged throughout, making the topic of decision-making both intriguing and relatable.
Best quote from Simple Rules
For those who wield the power of Simple Rules, complexity is not destiny.
—Donald Sull and Kathleen Eisenhardt
Who should read Simple Rules?
- Managers struggling to keep employees engaged in their programs
- Readers who want to overcome insomnia, lose weight or learn from Tina Fey
- Anyone who wants to tame today’s overwhelming complexity
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Simple Rules FAQs
What is the main message of Simple Rules?
The main message of Simple Rules is that by using a small set of guiding rules, we can navigate complex situations and make better decisions.
How long does it take to read Simple Rules?
The reading time for Simple Rules varies depending on the reader's speed, but it typically takes several hours. However, the Blinkist summary can be read in just 15 minutes.
Is Simple Rules a good book? Is it worth reading?
Simple Rules is a valuable read for anyone looking to simplify decision-making. It offers practical insights and strategies to navigate complexity effectively.
Who is the author of Simple Rules?
The authors of Simple Rules are Donald Sull and Kathleen Eisenhardt.
What to read after Simple Rules?
If you're wondering what to read next after Simple Rules, here are some recommendations we suggest:
- The Simplicity Principle by Julia Hobsbawm
- Simply Complexity by Neil F. Johnson
- One Second Ahead by Rasmus Hougaard
- Work Smarter Not Harder by The Blinkist Team
- The Laws of Simplicity by John Maeda
- How to Lead When You're Not in Charge by Clay Scroggins
- Atomic Habits by James Clear
- Negotiation Made Simple by John Lowry
- Hyperefficient by Mithu Storoni
- Nexus by Yuval Noah Harari