Your Skills, But Simpler

3 Minute Read Time

Ever feel like your days are an endless loop of putting out fires? Like you’re constantly reinventing the wheel, despite knowing there’s got to be an easier way?

If you're nodding your head right now, I see you. I’ve been there. And here’s the good news:

You don’t need more skills. You need simpler systems.

The Real Problem

If you’re in corporate Learning & Development, your expertise is clear. You've built countless programs, trained hundreds of people, and managed complex projects. You’re talented, no question.

But transitioning from your corporate role to consulting often feels overwhelming because your skills are bundled in complex corporate systems. You’re overloaded, underappreciated, and stuck in cycles of complexity.

Here’s a truth no one wants to say out loud:

Complexity doesn’t equal value. Simplicity does.

The Simplification Shift

When I left corporate, I quickly learned clients didn’t want complexity. They craved clarity and ease.

I realized something profound:

The most successful consultants aren't those who do everything. They're those who package their expertise into clear, repeatable frameworks.

Think about it like this: Your current corporate role is like running a five-star restaurant, cooking custom dishes on demand. Impressive, but exhausting. Consulting, done right, is like owning a high-end meal prep service: delicious, repeatable, efficient.

One Simple Fix

So how do you start creating those repeatable frameworks?

Here’s my favorite approach, distilled into three straightforward steps:

Audit Your Wins:

• List out your biggest successes. Projects that delivered results.
• Notice patterns: What problems do you consistently solve? What steps did you always take?

Simplify Ruthlessly:

• Cut away every extra step that doesn't directly lead to your client's desired outcome.
• Aim for "elegantly simple" rather than impressively complex. Clients pay for clarity.

Package Clearly:

• Turn these steps into a clear, repeatable roadmap or system.
• Give your system a name, define clear phases, and outline tangible results at each step.

Here’s why this works:

• It positions you as an expert: Clear frameworks show you’ve solved this before.
• It saves you time: No reinventing the wheel with every client.
• It sells itself: Clients love clarity and certainty.

Real-Life Example

Let’s say you've repeatedly built onboarding programs for tech startups. Your simplified system might look like:

Pillar 1: Audit

• Step 1: Gather onboarding documentation and performance data.
• Step 2: Interview recent hires and managers.
• Step 3: Identify common obstacles and document findings.

Pillar 2: Implement

• Step 1: Develop core onboarding objectives.
• Step 2: Create or refine modular content.
• Step 3: Set up implementation tools and platforms.

Pillar 3: Measure

• Step 1: Launch onboarding pilot group.
• Step 2: Track key performance metrics.
• Step 3: Refine based on feedback and data.

This simple framework is clear, actionable, and repeatable.

The Bottom Line

Take a step back from your overloaded calendar today.

Grab a coffee and a notepad.

List your biggest professional wins. Spot the patterns. Start simplifying.

Because the next-level consulting business you want isn't built by doing more. It's built by doing simpler things exceptionally well.

Start simplifying now, and you'll escape complexity forever.