"Kirby" or "Keep it simple"

Kirby turns 26 years old on Friday! So this week is dedicated to my favorite pink blob.

The genius of the Kirby franchise lies in its simplicity. Masahiro Sakurai, the creator of Kirby, wanted to create a video game that anyone could easily learn, yet had enough variety to keep the player engaged. It worked. There are now over 20 Kirby games!

To this day, the only video game I ever completed in one day was Kirby's Dream Land . He is my character of choice in Smash Bros. What makes this uncomplicated blob interesting is that he can suck up the powers of his enemies and use them against them. Quite sinister for an unassuming puffball, actually...

If you want your employees to easily comprehend and master training objectives, the employee handbook, how to log onto the employee portal, the benefits structure or anything else in your organization, keep it simple. New employees might not understand all the legalese in your handbook. They do not know all the extensions or who to even contact when they have a problem.

Use visual aids. Give them basic information upfront in a "cheat sheet." Post a chart by the phone that gives directions for transferring calls, "Do Not Disturb," voicemail, etc. Provide workflow charts or delegation of authority charts when applicable.

As my friend often says, "Explain it to me like I'm five."

After all, do you want employees to easily pick up how to be successful in your organization, or do you want them to waste time floundering while learning procedures? As Sakurai showed us, simplicity engages and endures. 

Now just for fun, to quote a meme, if Kirby absorbed you, what superpower would he inherit?...

Art by Phoenix-Fighter