SHOT
Keep it simple.
CHASER
In Ernest Hemingway’s The Sun Also Rises, a character is asked how he went bankrupt. He replies: “Two ways. Gradually, then suddenly.” The same is true for operational complexity.
It starts innocuously—an extra approval here, a special favor for a client there, a slight customization to meet a unique request. Each decision seems minor, even harmless. But over time, these exceptions accumulate. Before you know it, the organization is hamstrung by inconsistent practices and processes that stifle efficiency and growth.
I’ve seen this pattern across market research agencies—and not just the big ones, either. We would expect large firms to inevitably find themselves bogged down in complexity. There are more places for irregularity and lax practices to hide in big companies. But small companies aren’t immune. Without discipline, they’re just big unwieldy companies-in-waiting.
Each “just this once” decision feels manageable until, suddenly, the cumulative weight makes growth impossible without restructuring or adding headcount.
INSIGHT
Complexity doesn’t announce itself. It creeps in, one small concession at a time. The best way to fight this is to introduce a forcing function at every decision point. Before agreeing to a new process, exception, or customization, ask:
If we do this for one client, will we do it for all? If not, is the benefit worth the cost?
If the answer is no, rethink it. If it’s yes, operationalize it properly.
Being disciplined isn’t the opposite of being flexible. Flexibility has to be intentional, not the sum of unchallenged accommodations or beliefs that it’s the only path to growth. Sometimes, the fastest way forward is knowing what not to take on.