Many a project and sometimes even an entire company has failed due
to one, small, yet amazingly important trait -- clarity. When companies
can't make a clear case for their product or service over another
-- or when management can't communicate its vision and desires to
staff -- or when you can't tell your loved ones what is really important
to you -- it becomes terribly clear how important clarity is to
all aspects of your life. You can be the smartest, quickest, most
skilled worker in the world, but if you can't communicate clearly
to those around you, your chances for success are critically hampered.
I am sure you have examples from you own life, where lack of clarity
has harmed you. The boss who would tell you the goal was A, when
everyone around you was saying it was B. The dreaded editor who
thinks something is missing in your writing, but can't tell you
what. The spouse who complains about you not doing the dishes when
the real issue is quite different. Remember how you felt when you
faced situations like that? Why would you ever want to do that to
someone else? When you don't communicate clearly, everyone around
you – including you - suffers.
In the worst cases, people who cannot communicate clearly resort
to what I call the "mindreader" method. They never tell
you exactly what they want, but expect everyone around them to know
. You are then forced to suffer through endless rounds of guessing
-- being praised when you are right and punished when you are wrong
-- slowly defining the person's goals through trial and error. Of
course, it should seem obvious how inefficient and demoralizing
this type of behavior can be. Projects take 3-4 times as long to
accomplish, stress levels rise and those who don't play the game
well can be hopelessly confused about their role and goals in the
project. You only have to imagine how much more effective everyone
could be to understand the need for clarity.
Sometimes, though, those around you will think they are being clear,
but their use of language leaves you just as adrift as the previous
example. Clarity, whether in writing or spoken conversation, does
not come from words and phrases like ‘maybe’, ‘I
think...’ or ‘perhaps’. Instead of communicating
clearly, some people seem to be having their own internal discussions
while talking with others. Should I do this or that? Would this
be better or that? Who should work on this, Bob or Susie?
While it is very important for all of us to have internal discussions
while preparing a new project or presentation, airing them in
front of others confuses them and often bores them, as well.
Know the
difference between figuring out something for yourself and communicating
your thoughts and clear needs to others. Sure, you can have meetings
where such things are discussed, but when the time comes to communicate
your goals and actions to others, you must be direct and to the
point.
The fact is, you can very easily see when you are communicating
effectively and when you are not. If your orders and vision are
being carried out, good for you. If not, maybe you need to be
a bit more aware of how you are communicating. Do people return
again
and again for clarification? Do they do the opposite of what you
truly wanted? Even worse, do they simply do nothing? I can guarantee
that they aren't doing this because they are stupid. It is almost
assured that a lack of clarity lies at the heart of most of these
situations. As with most issues, you often need to look at your
own issues first to see the most basic problems.
Are you communicating clearly with everyone around you? Are you
being productive and effective? If not, developing better communication
skills could be an important way to improve your work and life.
Developing a reputation for clarity will attract people to you
and allow them to find their own success. When you communicate
clearly,
you make it easier for everyone around you to succeed. If you
don't communicate clearly, you are crippling your own career
and the careers
of those around you. Together you will always be floundering from
one day to the next, unable to understand each other and unable
to address the goals that define your career.
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