Less or more?

As Europe transitions into summer, long and warm days call for relaxation and quietude. To reflect this shift and for the next few months, the Multitudes newsletter will be published every 2 weeks.

At the same time, I feel that Multitudes has reached a cruising altitude, with the subscriber base steadily and surely growing, and I might need more time to provide valuable content.

Time to slow down.

For some weeks, I will do less. And this decision reminds me that less is more.?

The idea that "less is more," transcends countless domains – from art and marketing to politics, design, and communication. I personally met it while studying management, fine arts, communication, and social studies. Should someone ask me whether I agree with this principle, my intuition? would not hesitate in responding affirmatively.

Yet, there are 2 main aspects I should consider: first,? more often than not, as human beings we contravene this principle. Second, sure, less is more even though… it depends!

The Power of Subtraction

Leidy Klotz, in his insightful book 'Subtract', examines the counterintuitive power of subtraction. In particular, he makes a key distinction between achieving less and doing less. Subtracting is an active process, leading to a state of 'less.

Subtracting is an action. Less is an end state. Sometimes less results from subtraction; other times, less results from not doing anything. There is a world of difference between the two types of less, and it is only by subtraction that we can get to the much rarer and more rewarding type. In other words, subtraction is the act of getting to less, but it is not the same as doing less. In fact, getting to less often means doing, or at least thinking, more.

If we follow the author, subtracting becomes a performative and deliberate action that can unfold many potential benefits.

Nonetheless and despite the benefits of subtraction, humans naturally gravitate towards addition. We often overestimate the value of quantity, exhibiting something we can define as an 'addition bias.' This tendency might stem from the fact that, as Klotz and other researchers have demonstrated, transforming through subtraction requires more deliberate thought than just adding.

Transforming by subtracting actually requires more thinking.

It looks like that in order to do less, we need to do more. And that's precisely why we resist it.

Beyond the Dichotomy

It looks easy, doesn’t it? Yes, maybe too easy.

While subtraction appears beneficial, Klotz argues against the easy dichotomy of adding versus subtracting. In reality, what we need consists in finding a harmonious balance between the two. This seems to be the key of successful and thriving systems: a positive tension between adding and subtracting. By adopting such a perspective, the principle that less is more becomes a shortcut that we cannot take for granted.

Certainly we need less, and we also need more.?

I found the same message in Robert I. Sutton and Huggy Rao’s insightful ‘The Friction Project’: the idea of friction as something that generates complexity is neither good nor bad for organizations. Friction must be removed in some cases and added in other contexts. It literally depends: does friction stand in the way or facilitate the global goal of the organization? It is based on this and other questions that leaders who are at the helm of organizations can judge whether they should add or remove friction.?

Friction can take the form of a complex set of rules or of an intricate system of procedures - something we might define as more or too much. In any case, we should resist the intuitive idea that we should reduce it. The decision to do less or more should follow a thorough diagnostic.?Literally, it depends.

Making good use of less and more?

How can we leverage this tension between addition and subtraction?

How can we find a balance between the temptation to do more and the need to do less? How can we understand when we need more or less? These are questions I ponder. We should make good use of less and more rather than jump to quick conclusions. ?

It looks to me that the key lies in taking a systemic approach and consider our deeds as part of more complex systems. Understanding the interconnections between the elements of a system, the interconnection between these elements, and the purpose of the system can provide direction about whether to do less or more. We are always part of many systems: by recognizing this, we can think more deeply about the consequences of our actions and make better decisions.

Now, I turn the spotlight on you. How do you navigate the daily dance of adding and subtracting – doing more and doing less? What strategies do you employ to maximize the benefits of both? Share your insights in the comments below!

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Thank you for subscribing to my newsletter. I look forward to reading your experiences, comments, and questions.

My name is Matteo. As all of you, I contain multitudes.

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Matteo