The Leadership Blog

Why Your Business Needs Subtraction

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As leaders, we’re often told that success comes from doing more—more projects, more meetings, more strategies, more everything. But what if the real key to success isn’t addition, but subtraction?

In Subtract: The Untapped Science of Less, Leidy Klotz challenges the assumption that more is always better. He argues that our brains are wired to solve problems by adding, even when taking away could lead to better results. It’s a concept that applies to leadership, business strategy, and even personal growth.

Why We Default to “More”

Klotz’s research shows that when people are asked to improve something—whether it’s a bridge design, a to-do list, or a business process—they instinctively try to add rather than subtract. Leaders do the same thing:
✅ We add new goals without removing old ones.
✅ We pile on more responsibilities instead of streamlining workflows.
✅ We introduce more policies rather than simplifying existing ones.

The result? Overwhelm, inefficiency, and burnout.

Great Leaders Know When to Subtract

True leadership isn’t about doing the most—it’s about doing the most impactful things. Consider Steve Jobs, who transformed Apple not by adding more products, but by cutting the company’s bloated product line down to a few exceptional ones. Or think about Warren Buffett, who famously says, “The difference between successful people and very successful people is that very successful people say no to almost everything.”

The best leaders subtract distractions so they can focus on what really matters.

How Subtraction Can Transform Your Leadership

So how do we apply the science of subtraction to leadership?

🔹 Edit Your Goals – Instead of setting 10 new goals this year, what if you focused on the top three? Cutting the clutter allows you to achieve deeper, more meaningful results.

🔹 Declutter Your Schedule – Are there meetings that don’t need to happen? Reports that add no real value? Tasks that could be automated or eliminated? Freeing up time lets you invest in what truly moves the needle.

🔹 Simplify Decision-Making – Complexity slows us down. Can you reduce the number of steps in a process? Can you empower your team to make more decisions without endless approval chains?

🔹 Unburden Your Team – Leaders often think motivation comes from pushing people to do more. But sometimes the best way to inspire your team is by removing unnecessary stressors, redundant tasks, and outdated expectations.

Less Can Lead to More

Klotz’s core message is that subtraction isn’t about loss—it’s about gain. By strategically removing what doesn’t serve us, we create space for innovation, clarity, and growth.

So, here’s your leadership challenge: Instead of asking, What can I add?, start asking, What can I subtract? The answers might just be the key to unlocking your next level of success.

What’s one thing you could subtract today to make your leadership more effective? Let’s rethink success—by doing less, better.