Simplicity is the Key [Paperback]

This book has been in my head for 20 years.

I read In Search of Excellence on a train journey to a conference in 1983 and on the return journey I decided I wanted to write a book. The simplicity of Tom Peters and Robert Waterman in that classic book certainly made an impact on me. After working for14 years in the NHS I had finally discovered authors who made some sense to me. They put things over in an interesting way that was underpinned by common sense and used straightforward language rather than the language I had been learning in my 14 years at work. That language confused me, left me cold and generally made it very difficult to describe what I actually did as a manager in the National Health Service (NHS).

I always loved writing and took great care to keep things simple. Written words are powerful tools and the more I wrote the more responses I got, sometimes challenging my views sometimes agreeing with me. I enjoyed the banter and made a decision to try and get articles published. Needless to say to achieve publication in the "old days" only five years ago! the path was littered with obstacles and challenges. Comments like "lack of depth and argument" or "sounds like a management gurus pep talk" came back from editors. I tried hard to ignore those comments and searched for a market for my thoughts. Almost by accident, I approached Management Web Site editors asking whether they would like some articles that were not necessarily academic but reflections of my experience of operational and strategic management and policy development in health care. It was pleasing that some Web Site editors were willing to give this school of thinking a chance and I wrote for them. Responses to!
the article spurred me to write more articles and then suddenly one day it dawned on me. I simply thought, why not put these together and write the book you have promised yourself for 20 years?

I hope you enjoy it.

Simplicity is the Key is a short book for busy people.

The book is my reflections after 35 years management experience in the National Health Service in the United Kingdom - the third largest employer in the world. The book is about leadership; change; and generally how things get done informed largely by my experience in this massive organisation.

I am convinced we make things that are simple unnecessarily complicated. I sometimes wonder if complexity is merely the sum of simple parts. This book does not contain new management theory. It simply suggests that there has to be an easier way.

My experience tells me that there is much to do to lighten the sometimes stuffy and sterile world of management by releasing the power that all staff and managers have within them.

I believe keeping things simple helps make work a better place to be - my book is intended to assist that. The book is anecdotal, subjective and not academic. It is about what I feel based on experiences.

Simplicity is the Key is intended as a book you can read on that long train journey to that complex conference you have to attend.

I hope you enjoy reading the book please let me know

Trevor Gay
trevor_930@hotmail.com

"It is certainly quite different to anything I have read, it is almost conversational and a very interesting theme for a book"

Sir Alex Ferguson CBE: Manager of Manchester United Football Club.

"This Book is based on the day do day parry and thrust, the highs and lows, successes and failures of life in the organisational mainstream .... of effects of strategies .. of service delivery prgrammes, realtionships and communication directly affecting the lives and well being of 'customers.'

Trevor Gay's remarkably warm, clear and conversational style coupled with his frank presentation of facts and ideas is encouraging and engaging .. it will inspire many readers to more effective performance, it will serve as a powerful re-inforcement for the millions of people in workplaces around the world who do the right (leadership and management) things intuitively.

Brian Galbraith: Executive Chairman of Optimise International. A Perth (Australia) and Washington DC based Consultancy

"Personal Refelection on a career in NHS management. An interesting read for people inside the NHS and out"

Sir Nigel Crisp; Chief Executive of the National Health Service (NHS)

The Power of Story Telling
Story telling - the incredible power generated by the simple act of transmitting information by word of mouth.
Sometimes I have been glued to a story told by someone ¡V my concentration has been total. In more reflective moments I think about the process I have been through. How is it that:
I remember the story almost word for word - without rehearsing?
I create pictures in my head from a story?
I can relate the story to another context and use it to transmit a message?
I am not suggesting everyone learns through stories, or that stories are the best, or only way of learning. Stories are simply one of many methods of teaching and learning - but it is interesting to muse that before the written word was invented, all information was passed on orally. Arguably, the oldest skill in the communications book of tricks is the spoken word. With the words we speak there is no electronic spell check or grammar check. When we are talking we don't think about left or right justified so maybe we are more on the spot with our spoken word. Little wonder many like to think carefully before opening their mouth to speak - little wonder equally, that many regret speaking without thinking first. The power of the spoken word is immense.
Some have the ability to deliver the story in such a compelling way that we never forget it. I cannot recall a page of A4 text from my Physics lessons at school - but I can probably recall almost word for word, some of the stories I have been told ¡V twenty or thirty years ago.
In the world of organisations, management and leadership I believe we are beginning to appreciate the value of story telling. Tom Peters talks about the under-estimated power of story telling in the organisational world.
Below are some random thoughts about story telling and its relationship to effective management and leadership and how things get done.
1. Story telling touches emotions and presses the right buttons for the listener. It is a very effective way of prompting a response and thereby creating discussion. A story can be a vehicle to transmit a potentially sensitive message.
2. Stories told well, create pictures . a picture saves a thousand words .. hence, stories are an efficient, as well as effective, communication method.
3. At school some lecturers were teachers and some were evangelist teachers. Though I didn't appreciate it at the time, the teachers were probably very competent in their subject - the evangelists were the ones who made learning interesting and enjoyable - part of their repertoire was usually the ability to make it real by telling a story
4. Things often get done in organisations in what is called by the way time. Those conversations in the coffee making room when the Chief Executive bumps into the Director of Finance and the conversation starts with by the way¨ This may not be story telling from a purist perspective but by the way time is ad-hoc, informal and unplanned chat - some of that will be in the nature of story telling.
5. How many times do we attend courses, conferences when what we remember of the speaker is the anecdote and the story rather than the technical information they imparted in their half hour of glory at the podium? In my experience it is more often the story telling and the anecdote that is remembered.
6. Story telling can dissect very complex situations by providing a context that the listener can relate to. For instance when I ask a colleague in our finance team to explain some complicated financial issue to me in simple terms I usually ask for a Noddy Guide. This not only makes the subject interesting - it invariably means relaying the information in a story type way.
7. In the NHS patients and carers story telling is one way of getting services to change. There is nothing as powerful as a patient¡¦s story and many believe it is far more effective than formal audit. Patients tend to say it as it really is¡¨ and patient stories are a relatively untapped lever for change. Patients are people and we need NHS staff to deal with patients as people not as objects of clinical or diagnostic interest
8. The rational school of management will argue that stories are subjective and management is about objectivity. I would say there is a place for both in many management issues in the NHS because.
The NHS is labour intensive with 1.3 million staff, accounting for 60% of revenue.

People have strengths, weaknesses and frailties.
People are not necessarily always predictable and rational.

The circumstances we operate in are dynamic.
All of these suggest a rational, logical approach will not always fit - we need some subjective atmosphere occasionally so that, when the need arises, we can act on the seat of our pants and by natural instinct, trusting only the heart. The use of story telling will be important at these times
In summary I think we should not under-estimate the power of story telling in the world of management. It is one of the most potent weapons in the arsenal of any manager and if used sensibly, wisely and sparingly it can prove a most effective way of:
Getting your message across
Inspiring others
Spreading your message

Making work an interesting place to be