The Difficulty Business – I was reading in the paper about the uproar surrounding simplifying the federal tax code. It was stated that by making it easier, then 80% of Americans could do their own taxes. Now you can imagine the outcry from tax attorneys and tax accountants who will lose business and will be forced to find a job that actually adds value to society! It’s an unfortunate reality that many are people are invested, both personally and financially, in the “difficulty” business. They can only exist because some process or regulation is difficult, so it’s in their best interest to keep things difficult and even makes things even more difficult. I’m sure that this happens in your business, too. Some people insist on being in the “signature loop” just so their “In” basket can be full. They want to be in the process, even if all they do is shuffle paper, because they have the ability to stop the process by not shuffling. While this power, if you will, creates personal value, it actually reduces business value. So try this in your organization: Let your people know that in six months, you intend to eliminate any “difficulty” businesses that are operating in your company (or area of control) and you will be eliminating those people whose main focus is to manage these “difficulty” operations. Maybe helping people get rid of this false personal value, you can replace it real business value. If you don’t have a group of people that you manage, make sure you are not in charge of any “difficulty” businesses, and if you are, suggest to your boss a way to get rid of them.