I see a dangerous belief in far too many businesses: clarity is a nice-to-have. A bonus. A perk. Something we get around to when the "real" work is done.
But the truth is, clarity is not optional. It's one of the most essential and overlooked tools in a leader's toolbox. Without it, businesses waste time, energy, money, and trust.
The real cost of confusion
When expectations aren't clear, the consequences ripple throughout the organization.
- A leader gives direction they think is clear.
- The team starts moving, filling in the blanks as they go.
- Then the results come in—and they miss the mark.
Now, there's confusion, rework, and frustration. If it happens enough, it leads to disengagement and turnover—all because no one took the time to define what "done right" actually meant.
Confusion is one of the most expensive problems you'll ever have, but it hides in plain sight.
What clarity looks like
Leadership isn't about hoping your team reads between the lines. It's about removing the lines altogether.
And, no—clarity doesn't mean micromanagement. It means creating a structure that removes guesswork. Here are some things you can do to ensure you've made clarity inevitable.
- Define what success looks like before work begins
- Make roles and responsibilities obvious
- Establish regular check-ins to realign early
- Set clear priorities and communicate when they change
When people know how to win, they perform better.
The link between clarity and performance
Most of the time, when someone's not performing as you hoped, it's not because they don't care or don't have the skills. It's because they're not sure what you want from them. I've seen sharp, capable people underdeliver—not because they were lazy, but because no one defined what "good" looked like.
I've watched teams full of talent stall out simply because the priorities kept shifting, and no one took the time to say, "Here's what matters right now." And I've seen good employees walk out the door—not out of frustration, but because they never really knew how to win in their role. People want to do good work. But if they don't have a clear target, it doesn't matter how hard they try—they will miss.
That's not a motivation problem. That's a leadership problem. And it starts with clarity.
If you want to reduce waste, protect your team's energy, and lead more effectively, ask yourself:
- What does "done" look like?
- What's the top priority this week?
- Does each person know how to win in their role?
- What system do we use to clarify when things change?
Clarity might not always feel urgent, but it's always necessary.
And the teams that build it from the start? They move faster, waste less, and keep more of the right people on the journey.
