I was recently at a session where I got to hear from the amazing Donna McGeorge, global productivity expert and author of The 1-Day Refund. She was sharing her concept of Red Brick Thinking.
She talked about addition bias, how we’re wired to solve problems by adding things. A new tool, another meeting, extra steps in a process. It feels helpful. It feels productive. But often, it just adds noise.
It got me thinking that this is exactly what I see in so many teams I work with. In the work I do I am all about how we can work better together, using our strengths, collaborate more and break down silos. Teams discover their strengths, get all enthused and then get ‘busy’.
Why Do We Keep Adding?
Because it feels like progress.
If you’ve got the CliftonStrengths theme of Achiever, you get a buzz from crossing things off the list but sometimes that list is way too long.
Learner and Input? You might be gathering just one more article, podcast, or course, telling yourself then you’ll be ready.
Maximizer? You’ll keep tweaking and perfecting until version 47 looks marginally shinier than version 46.
Responsibility? That’s the inner voice whispering, “You said yes, so you have to follow through, even if it no longer makes sense.”
Even Woo and Includer can fall into this. Saying yes to every request. Trying to involve everyone. It feels nice but it can create drag.
But what if the real strategy is subtraction?
When Momentum Meets Resistance
It’s not always easy to stop doing things. Especially incorporate cultures that reward busyness over impact. But keeping things “just in case,” or out of guilt or habit, isn’t strategy it’s clutter.
We say yes when we should say no because we feel:
- Emotionally obligated Empathy, Harmony and Relator – sound familiar?
- Culturally perfectionist – Yes you Maximizer
- Structurally Friction-ful – anyone with Discipline or Consistency or Context nodding yet? We have always done it like this. Then our friends with Ideation and Arranger add more.
But certain strengths can help us cut through that noise.
Strategic can help us spot the path of least resistance.
Command can give us the courage to challenge the “we’ve always done it this way” mindset.
Futuristic can keep us focused on what really matters down the road, not just what feels urgent now.
Analytical can ask, “What’s the data say? Is this actually worth our time?”
Five Steps to Red Brick Thinking
- Spot it – What’s taking up space without earning its keep?
- Question it – Why are we doing this? Is it still serving us?
- Remove it – You’re allowed. Really.
- Feel it – Sit with the discomfort of less.
- Talk about it – Share the change. Make it safe to subtract.
Ready to Make Space for What Matters?
If this resonates with you and if your team is drowning in “stuff,” bring in Donna McGeorge. Her Red Brick Thinking session is honest, funny, energising, and full of “why didn’t we think of that?” moments.
So here’s your question for the week:
What’s one thing you can remove, reduce, or stop doing so you and your team can do more of what actually matters?
Because sometimes, the smartest addition… is subtraction.
