What do good leaders have in common with great editors? The editor’s goal is to create clarity and remove complexity. And the same goes for great leaders.

Unfortunately, the instinct of many leaders is the exact opposite of an editor. When faced with a challenge, many leaders reduce clarity and add complexity.

They pile more work onto people’s plates; they create new policies, new procedures, new metrics; they get more people involved; they shift priorities to chase after shiny objects. They give people twelve different goals to achieve in the next review cycle.

To be a more effective leader, take the advice of Bob Sutton, an organizational psychologist at Stanford, and act like you are the editor-in-chief of your organization.  Ask yourself: how can I increase clarity and reduce complexity?