One important tool every leader needs to use to create clarity instead of confusion
Meaningful leaders use a specific tool to eliminate confusion and increase the likelihood that their team performs at their best. This exercise will help you get clear about what you mean, so you can be clear in what you say.
By Jayson Krause, Managing Director of Level 52 & Author of The Science Behind Success
CLARITY AND THE ART OF BOOKENDING
Did you know that more than half of the birds in New Zealand cannot fly? One of the reasons is that even before humans arrived, over a 1,000 years ago, there were no land mammals that would prey on the birds. So, with no predators sniffing them out, trying to take them down, there are birds like the kiwi and some others that didn't have to work as hard to stay safe. They didn't have to go through the extra effort of flying in order to survive.
But does this type of evolution serve the overall fitness of the species? Removing the predators from any environment might seem like a good thing, but it is exactly what will lead to a lack of fitness, put you into a domesticated slumber, and paint a target on your side.
CLIENT STORY
One of my clients was a senior leader in the energy sector who was specifically brought into an organization to act as an ignitor. He had a large task in front of him. The company in question used to hold the majority of the market share in the country, but due to external environmental factors, results were quickly diminishing and the team needed a flat-out disruption.
About two months after this senior leader was brought into the organization, we were in a meeting discussing the situation and he told his team that they needed to take more ownership of their areas. He was frustrated about the lack of action the team had taken since he started there. Nothing had changed, and things just weren't happening. Nobody was taking ownership. This is where I asked him a simple, high-impact question: "What is ownership?"
He paused to think for a moment and said, "Well, it's taking responsibility for your area of the business."
“What does ‘taking responsibility for your area of the business’ mean?”
I could sense him getting frustrated, as to him, the answer was obvious. But this is exactly the problem—assuming that things are received on the other end, or that something is, or should be obvious. The catalyst required for any transformation begins with clarity.
BOOKENDING
We all use shorthand; vague and nebulous expressions or concepts when we communicate, and yet expect other people to know exactly what we mean. I often sit back and observe meetings or observe leaders and the way they communicate, and it’s remarkable how regularly this happens. You likely use these vague concepts in your communication all the time, not just in business but in your personal life as well, in your relationships and your marriage. This is what creates those unnecessary micro-pains that never get addressed, growing and causing bigger issues and frustrations that lead to fractures in your relationship.
If you don't drill down into what you really mean when you communicate, you’ll likely leave a meeting thinking that everyone is on the same page, only to be really frustrated or disappointed when you meet up again and discover how divergent the trajectories of your isolated expectations and the actual results are. Without pursuing 100% clarity, the likelihood is that everyone will approach things differently.
I see it all the time from leaders. Below are some of the common vague terms I encounter regularly, and I'm sure that you can add many more to this list:
"I need to see more from you."
"You need to up your game."
"This needs to be better."
"I need to see A+ quality on this."
"I need you to take the lead on this."
What do any of these vague phrases really mean?
If you want better behaviors, expressed values, and a higher quality of work inside your organization, it's your job to ensure that everyone is looking at the same detailed picture. Create clear bookends for your people, not only so that they understand expectations at a greater level but also to provide clear standards everyone can use as an informal form of evaluation. This is one of many important tools leaders exercise in our Accelerated Leader Programs.
Bookending involves painting a very clear picture of your expectations by describing what it is (the ideal) and what it isn’t. Start with the best possible result and describe it in detail. What it would look like and feel like. In the case of ownership, clarify the ultimate expression of ownership. Explain what you’ll see people doing, what you’ll hear them saying in meetings, how they will behave. Go into as much detail as possible about what the ideal expression of ownership would look like.
CLARITY
Once you’ve done the work to really clarify the ideal state, it’s just as important to clarify the other end. What ownership is not. How will you know with certainty that leaders aren't taking ownership? Get really clear about the behaviors, what people do and say, that will clearly indicate they aren’t taking ownership. All of this clarity is important for you to understand so that you can communicate it effectively. If you can't communicate your expectations clearly and you create inconsistent and ineffective feedback mechanisms, your team will likely assume they're doing the right thing.
Meaningful performance happens on the edge of struggle and support. As a leader, it's your job to hold both as equally important. Clarity and proactive feedback is an essential metaphorical predator that keeps your organization on its toes. Losing the ability to fly might feel good when you don't have to put in as much effort, but that quickly changes when someone else, like a competitor, can take advantage of it.
As a leader, you need to provide clarity so that your people know not only which direction to fly in, but how hard you need them to flap those wings, when to land, and when they can take a break in the nest. It comes down to you owning that clarity and then giving them the feedback that lets them know where they stand between the bookends.
WANT TO LEARN MORE? GO DEEPER?
Then download a free sample of my latest book, The Science Behind Success – What every leader needs to know about mindset, influence, culture and performance.
The Science Behind Success shares the tips, strategies, and lessons I’ve learned working with leaders from Singapore to Silicon Valley to deliver meaningful leadership. Over a decade of research and experimentation is distilled into relatable anecdotes and actionable tools for you to change your environment and change your results.
Whether you are a senior leader responsible for a billion dollar business, an emerging leader starting your career, or part of that overlooked middle band of management seeking to be better, The Science Behind Success will help you get clarity on your leadership impact, give you the compass to stay steady during chaos, and the tools to accelerate your career, impact, and legacy.
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