Simplicity is usually used as a term for a lifestyle that has gone in and out of fashion. But, simplicity is beyond a fad or a trend; it is a way of life – a philosophy and a way of looking at things that doesn’t follow trends of economic cycles.

Designing simplicity requires probing the core of complexity; doing away with the superfluous and the inefficient; clarifying, organizing, optimizing; and pruning the subject to its purest form to function effortlessly and beautifully while drawing forth meaning, metaphor and character.

Simplicity is one of the characters needed by a great leader. Effective leaders are the ones who, when faced with complexity, turn to simplicity. They are the ones who “lift the fog,” who clearly point out a destination and help us focus on the path to getting there. They clear away the clutter.

One of the great examples of a leader with simplicity is Mahatma Gandhi, who used simple language and lived a simple life. Yet he was able to concert energies of an entire nation towards achieving Indian Independence.

Leaders frame complex strategies, use heavy weight terminologies to describe their plans, set up complex processes and use a lot of jargons when communicating for a change. They spend heavily on getting those strategies across the board and aligning people to it. Yet, strategies fail because people fail to connect. Leaders always have a choice to simplify or complexify.

In the 20th Century, when Gandhi and the nation fought for independence, simplicity worked. Today, in the 21th century, we still have some leaders that carry simplicity in their leadership. Ho Ching, the Chief Executive Officer of Temasek Holdings, is one of leaders that live in simplicity both in her daily lifestyle and leadership.

Temasek has grown and transformed under Ho Ching, focusing it’s portfolio on the twin transformations of Asia and Singapore to expand from S$77 billion to S$198 billion over the course of a decade. When Ho Ching became CEO in 2002, she overhauled Temasek, setting up more precise performance guidelines while raising accountability and transparency. Ho is well connected: her husband is Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong, son of Singapore’s legendary elder statesman Lee Kuan Yew. But she has taken a strictly professional approach. Rather than prop up zombies, she has not been afraid to let operations fail.

Prior to serving at Temasek, Ho Ching was President and CEO of Singapore Technologies Group from 1997 to 2001. She married Lee Hsien Loong in 1985, at which time his father was serving as Singapore’s Prime Minister.

As a first lady and the top 10 most powerful women according to Forbes, she has every right to wear the most expensive or glamorous suit, yet Ho Ching keeps the simplicity in her daily fashion outfit. A director of Temasek’s sister company said that it doesn’t matter with her fashion style as long as she firmly and carefully provides guidance in controlling the business.

Leonardo da Vinci once said, “Simplicity is the ultimate sophistication”. Can’t agree more that, Madam Ho reflects the quote very well.

In Indonesia, the word simplicity is close to DKI Jakarta’s governor Joko Widodo. He’s famous for his sincerity, humility, honesty, and ability to engage people. He is a representation of a new generation of Indonesian leaders who long to break from the past “sin” of corruption, collusion and nepotism in Indonesia.

When he was a mayor of Solo, he donated all his salary to the poor, successfully made healthcare and education free for the needy and public administration clean for all. He made security officers’ wear friendly batik instead of intimidating uniform, turned slum areas into green public areas for families, made high-cost bureaucracy into simple, easy and friendly One-Stop-Service public service. Solo became a friendlier place for citizens and more attractive for tourists.

His disposition and charismatic is like a magnet for Jakarta citizens who want change. As a governor, so far he stays true to his principles: a leader is a servant for the people. His favorite activity is called “blusukan”, which is going through slum areas, observing water canals, and talking directly with low-class citizens. It gets plenty attention from the media and the public.

He demands that his government works transparently, does not want to hear about any of his staff falling astray or using the city’s budget without yielding results. He simplifies bureaucratic rules when making a decision. With his Deputy Governor Basuki Tjahaja Purnama (Ahok), they upload their meetings onto Youtube along with a record of meetings. By doing so, they want people to engage directly in what the governor and his staffs discuss as well as bring to their awareness the budget or funds needed.

Jokowi with his simple yet effective system has successfully convinced Indonesians – not only Jakartans – that simplicity rules!