Trying to get things done in organizations today can feel like trying to swim in cement there's too many processes, too many teams, too many choices, too much data but too little known, and too many obstacles. The level of complexity in most organizations is staggering, and only getting worse. But complexity doesn't happen all on its own managers unwittingly create complexity all the time, often through well-intentioned management actions. So while complexity in the outside environment isn't going to go away, the good news is that managers can reduce it inside their organizations, and help pave the way for simpler, more productive workplaces. Building on his "HBR" article, "Simplicity-Minded Management", author Ron Ashkenas shows managers how to do so, by revealing the four main sources of complexity in organizations - organizational structure; product and service proliferation; process evolution; and managerial behavior - and providing the strategies and much-needed management tools for attacking each one. Simple and straightforward, and filled with examples of leaders who have successfully created simplification strategies, this book shows how any manager can overcome the sources of complexity and get things done.