According to entrepreneurial strategist Dan Sullivan, there are three kinds of people who shape how things move forward. He calls them Simplifiers, Multipliers, and Complicators.
Simplifiers cut through the noise. They see the most direct, effective path and focus on it. Multipliers take what works and help it grow, spreading clarity and momentum. And then there are Complicators—the folks who, intentionally or not, add layers of process, jargon, and obstacles to what could otherwise be straightforward.
Right now, our world is full of Complicators. We see them in our workplaces, in our personal relationships, and in our government offices. And the tough truth is, many are incentivized to keep it that way. Complexity often protects power. It makes systems harder to change and gives certain people and institutions an edge in the chaos. Whether through policies, funding structures, or cultural norms, this tendency to complicate has become the default setting.
For mission-driven organizations, the instinctive response is to adjust to this external complexity—to tweak strategies, add layers of planning, or shift structures just to keep things moving. It feels smart. Adaptive. Responsible. But here’s the danger: when we accept complexity as “just the way things are,” we start to absorb it into our own systems and mindsets. Little by little, it changes us. Goals get blurred. Priorities shift. Purpose starts to drift. What began as a practical adjustment slowly turns into a quiet rewriting of the mission.
But it doesn’t have to go that way. A smarter move is to find and empower the Simplifiers inside your organization—the people who see through the noise and know how to start small. Give them room to experiment in focused, meaningful ways. These aren’t grand restructurings or massive strategic pivots. They’re small, clear actions that carve out a path beyond the constraints that Complicators create. Over time, these experiments become the seeds of bigger change.
This is one way philanthropy can step up in a powerful way.
Instead of adding more layers through complex funding initiatives, philanthropic partners can become Multipliers, amplifying the work of Simplifiers. By supporting and scaling these experiments, they reduce the risk for organizations willing to work differently. They help clarity spread.
In a world where complexity is rewarded, resisting it is an act of faith and strategy. It’s about trusting the people who can chart a direct course, giving them space to lead, and partnering with those who can help their efforts grow.