Meaning: The notion that simplicity and clarity lead to good design.
Origin: Andrea del Sarto, 1855, a poem by Robert Browning
Who strive - you don't know how the others strive
To paint a little thing like that you smeared
Carelessly passing with your robes afloat,-
Yet do much less, so much less, Someone says,
(I know his name, no matter) - so much less!
Well, less is more, Lucrezia.
To paint a little thing like that you smeared
Carelessly passing with your robes afloat,-
Yet do much less, so much less, Someone says,
(I know his name, no matter) - so much less!
Well, less is more, Lucrezia.
My fiancé and I are buying a house in the Lehigh valley area, and we have been spending so much time on the mortgage application. Granted, we’re trying to rush the process, but it still seems that there is so much needed when we are perfectly qualified for the mortgage. For example, I graduated May 2009 and I have been working since July of 2009. The bank would like the copy of my diploma and residency for the past two years. Personally, it’s a good thing that the bank requires this much information after the housing crisis, but it is stressful to get everything in line in such a short amount of time.
How does this relate to OB? My whole point is that we’ve entered a new age. My professor in undergrad said a handshake is worth much more than a signed document. When he was younger, business relationships were made by talking on the phone and through consistent business with each other. Now this has changed. Every agreement made is signed and initialed many times over, so much to the point that you don’t even understand what you’re signing without a lawyer!
Here’s a great example. I’ve been living in the same apartment for over a year, and the lease was about 15 pages. I just looked it over because I needed the information for the mortgage. My current landlords are not so great. When I had an apartment in West Reading, the lease was two pages. That’s it! The landlord lived downstairs and he was great. In some situations, I think less is more.
In fact, when you think about it, when you are a manager, you can empower your employees with this type of thinking. By managing less (aka avoiding micromanagement), there is a good chance that you’re employees will appreciate the added responsibility and do more!
Personally I have not had a lease that was anything more than 2 pages in the last 3 apartments that I have rented. I agree that less is more in many cases. In regards to management, it is nice to have less micromanagement. In my office, the consultant lets the 2 senior GA's run much of the show. This allows him to get his work done with less micromanagement required.
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