Simple Rules in Action: Real-World Examples That Will Change How You Think About Decision Making

Simple rules are not just theoretical constructs; they have been applied successfully across a wide range of fields, demonstrating their power to improve decision-making and outcomes.

In military medicine, medics use simple triage rules to prioritize treatment, dramatically reducing mortality rates in combat zones. This approach highlights how a few clear criteria can save lives under intense pressure.

In business, startups like Amazon and Cisco focused on identifying bottlenecks and applying simple prioritizing rules to allocate resources effectively, driving rapid growth and innovation. The Oakland Athletics disrupted baseball by breaking old scouting rules and adopting analytics, achieving competitive success on a limited budget.

In nature, starlings’ coordination rules enable complex group flight without centralized control, inspiring algorithms for robotics and network design. Forest firefighters’ how-to rules for lighting escape fires have saved lives in dangerous wildfires.

These examples underscore the versatility and impact of simple rules. By distilling complexity into actionable guidelines, they empower individuals and organizations to act decisively and adaptively.

Applying these lessons requires identifying key challenges, crafting tailored rules, testing them in practice, and refining based on feedback. This iterative process ensures rules remain relevant and effective.

Whether you are a leader, entrepreneur, or individual seeking better decision-making, embracing simple rules can transform your approach and outcomes.

Sources: Marketing Journal Review, Jorge Arango’s Book Notes, Bookey Summary [[0]](#__0) [[2]](#__2) [[3]](#__3)