Too Good to Be True: The False Promise of Simplicity in a Complex Corporate World

In moments of pressure, seeking quick and easy solutions is natural. However, these promises often become strategic traps in complex organizational contexts. Ignoring complexity doesn’t make it disappear; it only hides it, creating deeper and more costly problems over time.

This article isn’t here to sell shortcuts. It’s an invitation to confront complexity head-on because that’s where the real potential for transformation lies.

Simplicity Starts by Understanding Complexity

When it comes to change and transformation, how often do we hear: “Let’s make this easy,” “Let’s simplify,” and “This method makes it simpler”?

?? Beware! These phrases often conceal a strategic error: the belief that simplicity is the starting point. It isn’t. Authentic simplicity emerges only after recognizing and analyzing complexity and then transforming it.

Systems Are Complex—There’s No Way Around It

Organizations are living systems—interconnected and dynamic. Every action triggers multiple effects, many of them unexpected. Promising simple solutions without addressing this complexity is like offering superficial shortcuts that, while appealing, are unsustainable in the long run.

Under pressure for immediate results, we often chase quick fixes that overlook what’s really at stake. This not only leads to inefficiency but ends up costing more in the long term. A common bias fueling this behavior is our natural preference for ease and speed, known as cognitive fluency bias. We’re drawn to what seems simple, but these solutions rarely suffice in complex contexts.

A Real Case: When Simplicity Was the Biggest Mistake

In one organization I worked with recently, the leadership team had a clear and valid goal: “We want to transform our culture toward collaboration.”

To pursue a “simple” and “agile” approach, they decided to roll out quick training sessions and launch a culture code with values like “teamwork” and “trust.” At first, it seemed promising.

But the results were disappointing:

• Teams continued working in silos.
• Historical conflicts remained unresolved.
• Incentives still rewarded individual achievements over collective goals.

Within three months, the initial enthusiasm turned into fatigue. The training sessions were seen as a waste of time, and the culture code became just another decorative piece on the wall. Resistance to change grew.

When they finally approached the problem systemically, the real issues came to light: accumulated resentments, conflicting leadership agendas, and a lack of trust in the change initiatives.

Only then—we could co-create a solid transformation strategy by exposing and addressing the complexity, mapping the system’s dynamics, and understanding tensions, strengths, and barriers. Simplicity arrived, but not as a shortcut. It was the result of confronting complexity with strategy.

The Myth of the Perfect Shortcut

Embracing complexity doesn’t mean getting stuck in it. It means structuring, clarifying, and advancing toward simple, effective solutions.

This requires an initial effort that may be uncomfortable but is essential: identifying patterns, tensions, and critical dependencies. Without this step, any solution will be superficial.

Don’t Fall for “Thornless” Change

Deep, genuine change isn’t for the impatient. True simplicity isn’t a starting point; it’s the outcome of a process. Skipping this step is like trying to run before learning to walk: you might move forward a bit, but sooner or later, you’ll stumble.

Sustainable change requires courage—the courage to face the thorns of complexity, untangle them, and transform them into strategic clarity.

Are you ready to take on the challenge?

?? Want to know how we map complexity and turn it into sustainable solutions? Learn more about our Transformation Prism, an integral diagnostic tool for tackling transformations. Click here.

Carolina Sordelli

CEO & Founder

Mutta Studio