When 11 Simplifies To 6

We can sometimes over-complicate things a touch, can’t we?

Austrian Ralph Hasenhuttl is the perhaps unlikely coach responsible for Southampton Football Club’s ongoing EPL revival.

He seems to favour a flavour of Occam‘s Razor.

For as widely reported;

“…another major aspect of ‘The Southampton Playbook’ [sees] Hasenhuttl identify his first-team line-up as essentially comprising of six positions on the pitch for his 4-2-2-2 formation; goalkeeper, full-back, centre-back, defensive midfield, attacking midfield and striker.”

His ‘project’ is certainly enjoying remarkable results.

This is quite the simplification.

(Reminded me in a way of the Brazilian 6-6 formation from back in 2010 too.)

Although not without flaws, there does seem merit in this kind of approach.

Making the complex a little less so.

This could be applied to many aspects of our selling.

The problems we solve. The deal types we hunt. The buyers we engage.

You could even (definitely?) argue that if you’ve more than six in any of these categories, then you’re not giving yourself the best shot at success.

As with this footballing example, subsets can (if they must) exist within such taxonomy. But try to stretch to the simplest of classes and you’ll likely boost chances of winning bids. Focus is your sales friend.