Picasso’s Bull and Leadership

A couple of months ago, one of my former colleagues (Thanks, Dan!) suggested to me to write a post about simplicity in leadership and how to embrace simplicity in decision making by choosing clarity over complexity, striving for efficiency through simplification, and fostering intuitive decision-making. It is a great topic and there are many great shares from different thought leaders.

I thought I would start with the cover painting by Pablo Piccaso in 1945. Starting from a fairly realistic looking bull, Picasso was able to continuously simplify by using abstract shapes and stylized features, straightening out the lines, flattening the planes, and eventually creating a very simple line drawing but still very much capturing the essence of the bull. Picasso, as one of the most influential artists in the western art history, obviously could paint beautiful representational paintings from an early age, but he continually pared down and simplified as his career progressed. The ability to take complex subjects and simplify them down to abstract forms is a major aspect of art.

As an amateur photographer, I very much apprecaite why photography is often called an art of subtraction. We identify objects of visual interest in a complex world and do our best to eliminate everything else by focusing on specific subjects with long lens, blurring background by using fast lens, or identifying scenes with unique light or shade.

The same princinple works for product design. Steve Jobs was renowned for his focus on simplicity in product design. The iPhone, for example, revolutionized the smartphone industry with its clean, intuitive interface. The simplicity of Google's homepage is another prime example of how minimalism and clarity can significantly enhance user experience and contribute to a company's success.

It turns out leadership works in a similar way. It is an essential skill to be able to see through irrelevant details and take everything down to the essentials, so that their relationships stand out. In a recent interview, Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella stated that “the most important attribute that any leader needs to have—and it is often underestimated—is the need to?create clarity?when none exists.” In fact, he listed that "bringing clarity" as one of the top three attributes of leadership: bring clarity on complex situation, bring energy to people, and remove constraints for overly constrained problem.

In today's complex world, we are often bombarded with more information than ever before. Leaders need to be able to simplify complex situation, create clarity from ambiguity. Simplicity will bring out insights, insights will bring clarity and clarity will lead to the right decision making. Simplicity and clarity would not only ensure messages be understand by all team members, reducing chances for misunderstanding, but also make it easier to empower teams to have agile decision making.

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P.S. If you are interested in photography, I encourage you to visit my photography portfolio here (https://lnkd.in/d9JHFuvR). Photography is not about simply recording what you see. It forces you to see things from different perspectives. French artist and humanist photographer Henri Cartier-Bresson once said, “It is through living that we discover ourselves, at the same time as we discover the would around us.” My photo portfolio showcases a vibrant collection of my attempt to capture diverse subjects through an artistic lens. Each photograph is a testament to my passion for storytelling, featuring a harmonious blend of light, shadow, and composition that brings out the unique character of every scene. From breathtaking landscapes that evoke a sense of wanderlust to intimate portraits that reveal the depth of human emotion, my portfolio is a journey through the beauty of both the natural world and the human experience. With a focus on detail and a dedication to capturing authentic moments, my work reflects a deep appreciation for the art of photography.

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