Keep It Simple: When Less Is More
We spent our holiday break with our kids in Huatulco, Mexico, which has quickly become one of our favorite places to visit. The pristine beaches and bays set against the backdrop of the Sierra Madre Mountains are stunning. The people are kind, welcoming, and genuinely proud of where they live. While it’s a popular destination for Mexican travelers, it’s a far cry from the party vibes of Cabo or Cancun, slower, quieter, and more intentional.
On our last morning, we planned to go to one of our favorite brunch spots for chilaquiles and coconut French toast. When we arrived, though, there was a crowd gathered outside, and the wait was going to be over an hour. With a flight to catch, that wasn’t going to work. We ordered the French toast to go (because it is that good) and started walking in search of another option.
Me and Ajay waiting to enjoy some delicious pork tacos your way
Just down the street, we passed a small, open-air spot that barely registered as a restaurant. From the curb, it didn’t look like much, a handful of wooden tables, a simple setup, and one guy standing near the front making tacos. No decor. No menus. Nothing fancy.
As we paused to look around, a couple sitting nearby caught our hesitation and said, “You should eat here. It’s one of our favorite places.”
We decided to trust them.
The menu was as simple as it gets. Pork tacos. That was it. You could choose different cuts (belly, rib, tongue, head, mixed) but that was the entire offering. The tacos came out with a small plate of toppings, and we dove in.
They were incredible.
No gimmicks. No over complication. Just a few things done really, really well.
It struck me how often in leadership we feel pressure to do more. More initiatives. More programs. More meetings. More ideas. We convince ourselves that being a great leader means having an answer for everything and offering something for everyone.
But sometimes the most effective leaders and teams are the ones who keep it simple.
They are clear about what matters most.
They focus on their strengths.
They do a few things exceptionally well instead of many things adequately.
In leadership and culture, focus creates excellence. When we spread ourselves too thin, we dilute our impact. But when we get disciplined about what we say yes to (and just as importantly, what we say no to) we give our teams clarity and confidence.
This week, take a look at your leadership plate. Are you trying to offer too much? Are there areas where simplifying could actually elevate performance?
Because sometimes the best results don’t come from adding more, they come from doing less, and doing it better.
Sign up to join our interest list for the next MIBE Retreat hosted in Hualtulco, Mexico!
Keep MIBE-ing!
Anthony Lambatos
Founder, MIBE Hospitality Leadership Development
Owner, Footers Catering
P.S. Find out what’s on your leadership plate. Join our waitlist for the MIBE Retreat January 25th - 27th.
