I love the simple.
One of my past jobs was to read and make changes to contracts, depending on the needs of our clients. Each situation was a bit different, so I had to make the appropriate edits.
The contracts were the old-fashioned language mere mortals don’t understand. From my read of some, lawyers didn’t always understand that language themselves. I suspect they took other contracts and copied language, not realizing it didn’t make sense. It was fine – no one else challenged them about it because they always thought they didn’t understand.
The language drove me crazy. There was no reason for it. Contracts should be readable. The average person should understand it before they blindly sign it.
Often business executives (the folks who signed our contracts) hate to admit they don’t understand what the heck something means. They just signed.
I decided all my templates needed to be updated to the current century. I approached my attorney partner with my idea. He said no.
I wasn’t going to be disuaded so easily.
“I’m going to do one and let you see what I’m talking about. You have veto power.”
I went and picked a contract and did the re-write. I left it for him to review.
The next day I looked up and he was hovering over my desk.
“Good job. It does make it better. Do the rest of them and let me review.”
I always felt like that was one of my legacies in that company. The Olde English was gone! Most people could understand the contract they signed – if they chose to read it. (Whether they did was out of my wheelhouse!)
Making the complicated simple – it’s a beautiful thing.
Invest in those things you love. I’m investing in the simple.
“If you can’t explain it simply, you don’t understand it well enough.” – Albert Einstein
In the Box, Out of the Box 