“If you don’t know where you are going, you’ll end up somewhere else.”
-Yogi Berra-
When we get in our car to buy groceries, pick up our child or go to the office, we know exactly where we are going. Sometimes we even know the exact parking spot. We know when we need to be there and we know where we are going. If other people are involved in our ‘trip”, like the child being picked up or a person we are meeting, they too know where you are going and when you will be there.
Clarity – knowing exactly where you are going, what it looks like, what you are working to achieve and when it needs to happen. We may not always know how we are going to get there but we need to be crystal clear on what it is we are wanting to achieve. When we make a decision, we must clarify what that looks, feels, tastes and smells like. Make it real. When we have clarity, all of the small decisions you make along the way will align with every detail.
When you are very clear on where you are going, you can start to create the road map and the timeline to get there. Every step, every turn helps assure you achieve the result of your decision. There will be detours but you know the destination. When you are working with a team it is of the utmost importance that you communicate with complete clarity to your team. When they know the destination, the road map and timeline, they are empowered to do their part to achieve the goal. When a team knows that their actions and decisions need to be aligned with the strategy and goal, they need less management and can be empowered to bring in ideas and energy to the journey. It allows others to make meaningful accomplishments, thus growing confidence, self-esteem and achievement.
Your team members are not mind-readers. Unless you are clear on the vision, the expectations, the action plan and the timeline (and whatever else may be a part of the decision), your super freeway to your vision risks becoming a road winding through town with stoplights and detours.
In scheduling an important meeting, you wouldn’t say “We have a marketing meeting next week, see you there!”. You would say “We have a marketing meeting on Tuesday the 15th at 2 pm at the 2nd floor conference room, See you there!” Right?
Clarify your vision and communicate it clearly so everyone is making decisions that work towards it. Clarity is the only gauge that allows you to measure progress and success.
“If you don’t know exactly where you’re going, how will you know when you get there?”
-Steve Maraboli-
Example:
Two friends of mine were meeting for coffee at 9:00am a cute little bakery in St. Paul, Minnesota. Both were on time but were sitting alone. They waited a gracious 10-minute “Running-Late” grace period before contacting the other. Neither realized that the bakery had 2 locations; each was at a different location. Both were “right” but they didn’t end up accomplishing their goal to have coffee at 9am.
In our product development process, clarity is everything! It starts with the Product Idea and Vision. Then we have to clearly “see” people needing it, buying it and using it, loving it! We drill down and as questions — Why should we make it? What does it do? What does it look like? What is the value at which people are willing buy it? Where is it sold? When does it need to be completed? How will it make their life better?
Those are just some of the things we define and get clarity on so that we know exactly what we are trying to accomplish and when is must happen. We don’t get hung up on how we are going to do it. That can only come into play after we know what we want to accomplish.
Resources:
Laura Posey of “Simple Success Plans” has an online program, a 1-page business blueprint which helps you plan your business year on one page. It helps establish clarity and spells out a path that you can use personally or with your team. It can be a good start. There is a cost for the program but sometimes she will send out an email with a FREE download of the template. Subscribe to her emails, she puts out valuable, witty advice you can apply in your business right away.
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