Lisa Bodell on Simplifying Work to Enable Innovation

On this episode of Redefining Work, I’m joined by Lisa Bodell, founder and CEO of FutureThink, author, and global keynote speaker. Lisa is a leading voice on innovation and simplicity, offering a fresh perspective on how businesses can reduce complexity to unlock their full creative potential. In this episode, we explore her pioneering work on simplifying processes, her provocative exercises like “Kill the Company” and “Kill Stupid Rules,” and the leadership behaviors needed to sustain a culture of subtraction.

Lisa’s key insight is that simplification isn’t about doing less‌ — ‌it’s about creating the space for what matters most. “Simplification really is the front end of innovation,” she shares. “It gets rid of the time sucks and the waste to create the space for people to actually think, and actually focus.” 

In this conversation, Lisa breaks down her approach to tackling complexity, fostering curiosity and designing systems that empower employees to thrive.

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The True Obstacle to Innovation Is Time, Not Ideas

It’s easy to assume that driving innovation comes down to generating more ideas. But Lisa challenges this notion, asserting that time‌ — ‌not creativity‌ — ‌is the limiting factor. “What most people spend their time on every day is the work of work,” Lisa says. Teams are so inundated with meetings, emails and bureaucracy that they lack the bandwidth to explore new possibilities.

Lisa explains that leaders often default to brainstorming sessions when what they really need is to clear the clutter from their employees’ days. Simplification, she argues, is a prerequisite for innovation. “Most leaders default to, ‘Oh, we’ve got to innovate? Let’s get more ideas,’” Lisa says. “Ideas aren’t the problem — the issue is time.” By simplifying processes, you can free up time for meaningful work, enabling teams to think strategically rather than reactively.

Why Every Organization Needs to “Kill Stupid Rules”

Lisa’s exercise, “Kill Stupid Rules,” has become a hallmark of her work, and for good reason‌ — ‌it’s immediate, empowering and transformative. In this exercise, which always lights up the room, employees identify rules, processes or behaviors that waste time and create unnecessary complexity. “If you just ask people, they are happy to help make things better,” Lisa says. “But no one asks.”

The results are often eye-opening. Lisa recounts one session where employees brought up a surprising number of inefficiencies in an organization widely regarded as innovative. From outdated meeting structures to redundant approval processes, the list of “stupid rules” grew quickly — and most weren’t rules at all. “They’re things that we actually create ourselves. They’re cultural norms,” Lisa says. “And so what’s really cool about that is we can get rid of those things.”

This exercise not only boosts morale but also sets a precedent for ongoing simplification. “You can do the one-offs … but they’re like weeds — they’re gonna grow back,” Lisa says. Embedding simplicity into the culture is essential to making it stick. She advocates for leaders to implement recurring rituals, such as ongoing evaluations of what processes no longer serve the organization.

Leadership as a Model for Subtraction

Simplification has to start at the top. Lisa stresses the importance of leaders modeling the behaviors they want to see in their teams. Too often, leaders send mixed signals. They call for focus but overload their teams with priorities. They demand fewer meetings but attend every one themselves. “Leaders love to talk a big game … [but] they have to model the behavior,” Lisa explains.

One key strategy is rewarding subtraction as much as addition. “We reward people for doing more, but we also have to make sure, as a leader, we reward them for doing less,” Lisa says. “Are you going to reward them for getting rid of things? Are we going to reward them for streamlining and being more efficient?” Creating a culture where subtraction is celebrated sends a clear signal that simplifying isn’t just permissible‌ — ‌it’s expected. Lisa’s approach reframes the conversation, shifting the focus to eliminating barriers so teams can focus on what truly drives impact.

Lisa also highlights the importance of personal accountability. Leaders must take ownership of their time and choices, modeling the kind of deliberate decision-making they want from their teams. This includes saying no to unnecessary obligations and prioritizing activities that deliver the greatest impact.

Lisa’s work is a call to action for leaders and teams alike: simplify to innovate. Her insights challenge us to rethink how we work, from eliminating unnecessary rules to embracing curiosity and subtracting what no longer serves us.

People in This Episode

• Lisa Bodell: LinkedIn

Resources

• Why Simple Wins: Escape the Complexity Trap and Get to Work That Matters

• Kill the Company: End the Status Quo, Start an Innovation Revolution

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