The Art of Less: How to Focus on What Really Matters at Work

“The Art of Less: How to Focus on What Really Matters at Work”

At work, we often feel weighed down by an excess of initiatives, meetings, training, and targets. Over-enthusiastic executives, interfering consultants, and demanding stakeholders can get in the way of doing the “real work.” This leaves us feeling overwhelmed yet underproductive – a phenomenon referred to as “organizational sludge,” which hinders performance. Unblocking systems and processes can improve workflow so people can focus more on what truly matters. The recently published book “The Art of Less: How to Focus on What Really Matters at Work” by Mats Alvesson and André Spicer offers a practical guide for managers and employees on how to reduce such barriers and achieve more by doing less. The book is shortlisted for the Business Book Awards 2026 and was recently featured in the Financial Times’ “reads of the month.”

TUM-IAS Hans Fischer Senior Alumnus Fellow Mats Alvesson is a professor at the University of Bath, City St George’s, University of London, and Lund University, Sweden. His current research focuses on leadership, identity, functional stupidity in organizations, organizational sludge, as well as experiences of bureaucracy and managerial work in universities. He is the most cited European scholar in this field and has published over 30 books and numerous articles in leading journals in management and organization studies.
 

• 29th of July at TUM-IAS
• Workshop
• 9:30 am - 12:30 pm
• By invitation only