Every tool you reject is a gift to your team.
Someone will suggest a new project management app. A better wiki. A cooler chat platform. A revolutionary way to do standups.
Say no.
The tool you don’t add is communication overhead you don’t create. It’s one less place to check. One less login to remember. One less app fragmenting your team’s attention.
The hidden costs of tools:
- Learning curve for new hires
- Context switching between apps
- Information scattered across platforms
- Notification fatigue multiplied
- Integration maintenance
- License fees that compound
Most teams accumulate tools. Few subtract them.
“Perfection is achieved, not when there is nothing more to add, but when there is nothing left to take away.”
— Antoine de Saint-Exupéry
Before adding any tool, ask:
- Can we do this with something we already have?
- What will we stop using if we add this?
- Is the pain bad enough to justify the overhead?
- Who will own keeping this organized?
If you can’t answer all four clearly, the answer is no.
The best tool stack is the one you barely notice. It fades into the background. People know exactly where things go and where to find them. There’s no debate about which app to use for what.
Simplicity compounds.
Subtract before you add.