Getting clear can boost your business results 31%
May 30, 2023
Did you know a recent organizational alignment research study by ISA Global found that strategic clarity accounts for a 31% difference between high and low performance in terms of revenue growth, profitability, customer loyalty, leadership effectiveness, and employee engagement?
Last week I kicked off the year with a webinar focusing on how to build business results and engagement through creating Clarity (the C of SERVICE). We talked about the importance of clarity in the workplace and what happens where it doesn’t exist. And for many of the people on the call, it didn’t really exist at all. I don't think they are alone.
Now I have been guilty of being unclear before. Perhaps you have too? Can you think of a time when things didn’t get done how you had “clearly” explained them? Creating and maintaining clarity actually takes more effort and time than most people give it, and it isn’t something that just gets done once.
An interesting article released by McKinsey highlighted that after the volatility and ambiguity of 2020, the thing that high performing organisations are focussing on right now is clarity in these key areas:
Who we are - Purpose, values and culture
How we operate - Structure, decision making and talent
Where we grow -- Ecosystem, tech platforms and learning
As you can see from above, over 80% relate to leadership clarity. Do you think that these companies have never discussed these items before? Of course they have! But clarity requires constant updates and amendments to keep people clear.
Interestingly, my first ever program as a coach was called Clarity and, well, it didn’t sell like hotcakes. Why? Because people don’t think they need to buy how to be clear. Much like driving, most leaders think they are better than the average all the time. But unfortunately, this article by Michael Beer explains 6 ways most leaders aren’t being clear at all, and why their strategies aren’t working.
So what are three recommendations to get clearer?
First, make sure you are clear for yourself. The old adage of “you can’t truly understand something until you can explain it to others” rings true in my mind. Leaders operating in ambiguity can’t provide high-quality clarity for others. Get clear on your purpose, values and why you are doing your role. Also, establish your boundaries and what you will and won’t do for your role.
Next, communicate clearly. We have a tendency to waffle, use jargon and bluff when we feel unclear about things. And people feel it. One thing you can change immediately is preparing better and instead of thinking about how you want to send you a message, consider instead how you want it to be received instead. This involves plotting out in advance what you would like the audience to think, feel, do and now as a result of your communication. On our webinar, we do this as a live exercise and responses were incredible. Just make yourself a 4 x 2 grid and fill in the gaps. I have included a template here if you want to use it.
Finally, get clear on the things you are doing as a team - what’s working and not working. Then work together to plot out what you should be doing next and how to get there. Too often we have legacy (pre-covid) processes and reports and methods which are irrelevant or worse yet, counterproductive. Invite the team to surface these unhelpful processes and address them. Ben Hunt-Davis and Harriet Beveridge wrote an amazing book called “Will it make the boat go faster” and this book is chock full of amazing ideas and soundbites which help cut through the noise and gain more clarity. Here’s a short video that can help you get your head around getting everyone clear and on the same page for your goals.
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