Work Simplification

At Level 1, you're focused on solving problems as they come, often using the patterns and tools you've seen before. You might not yet recognize when a task is more complex than it needs to be, or how to break it down into smaller steps. That's okay. This level is about learning to see the work clearly. You're gaining experience, trying solutions, and slowly building your mental toolbox. You're learning to spot when something feels harder than it should—even if you don't yet know how to fix it.

At Level 2, you're actively simplifying. You don't just accept the work as given—you poke at it, reshape it, and split it into parts that are easier to build and test. You're getting better at making progress by starting smaller. You've begun to spot unnecessary complexity in your own work and in the scope of what's being asked. You simplify with intention, not just instinct.

At Level 3, you simplify for impact. You no longer just reduce complexity—you prioritize what matters most and guide others in how to work smarter, not harder. You help your team move faster by focusing on clarity, reducing scope, and shaping work that's easy to build, test, and evolve. You're calm in chaos, skilled at finding the core idea, and generous in helping others get there, too.

At Level 4, you architect simplicity into systems, teams, and processes. You recognize patterns of overcomplication across projects and actively shape a culture that favors clarity, economy, and flow. You simplify at scale—not by doing the work yourself, but by building the mental models, processes, and shared expectations that help many others do it too.

At Level 5, simplification is your leadership signature. You influence how the organization thinks, plans, and delivers by relentlessly focusing on clarity, speed, and signal over noise. You reduce complexity at scale—not by doing the work, but by enabling better systems, setting strategic defaults, and embedding simplification into culture and decision-making.