EXCEPTIONAL LEADERS HAVE CLARITY


don’t trust them. Their boards lose confidence. Leaders without clarity can do great harm to their organizations. Exceptional leaders expect their situations will change and they have the discipline to


continually look forward and assess what changes may affect them. They are always on the lookout for ways to innovate and revitalize their products, services, and organizations. They look for new ways to grow, evolve, and succeed. They understand periodic strategic corrections are a necessity to overall long-term success.


Right Information Most leaders believe they already have enough information. They apply the same set of


assumptions to their decision-making that have historically worked for them. They use the same data sources they have always used. They rely on the opinions of underperforming staff to explain the challenges they face rather than engage in the proper due diligence to find out the underlying causes for their organizational difficulties. They fail to understand the significance of how changes in external market forces can impact consumer expecta- tions or their long-term survival. Exceptional leaders look for more than a superficial answer. They don’t stop looking at


the first 10 answers that pull up in their Google search. They look for the pearls of wisdom buried deep in the data, and they are not afraid to find advisors who will help them find the truth and interpret it. Getting the right information for real decision-making is hard work. They know that it requires a significant effort to re-consider every current assumption and look for changes in the trends and patterns of the data. Doing that without a biased view is even harder. They are willing to invest the time and money to bring in a fresh and different point of view to discover the truth.


The Truth Most leaders believe they already have a


complete understanding of what is going on. Yet the fundamental reason for a lack of clarity at the top is usually because no one tells them the whole truth. Employees tell their leaders what they think they “want” to hear. People are penalized for telling the truth. Cultural paradigms cause employees to withhold candid feedback because they don’t want to displease another with bad news. Worse, some leaders are not able to listen to a divergent perspective. As a result, these leaders lose control of the situation and lose their ability to implement correc- tive actions before things go completely haywire. Exceptional


leaders understand clarity


begins with a real desire to see the truth of the situation. Truth gives you informa- tion.


Information gives you insight. Insight


gives you clarity to set the right priorities and focus your people on the most critical activities designed to create success. These leaders find it refreshing to have someone around who will tell them what they don’t necessarily want to hear but what they already suspect is true. They use objective advisors to get to the truth and help them work through the issues to create real and lasting improvements that move their orga- nizational success forward.


Final Thoughts Getting clarity can be frightening. Clarity


about your problems and challenges can scare your board and staff. It can be hum- bling to realize that critical strategies you previously implemented are now the cause of the problems now facing your organiza- tion. Yet when you have clarity, it becomes much easier to prioritize what needs to be done to resolve the issue or improve it.


Jill J. Johnson, MBA, president and founder of Johnson Consulting Services, is a management con- sultant, accomplished speaker, award-winning author, and Business Hall of Fame inductee. She helps clients make critical business decisions and develop plans for turnarounds or growth. Her consulting work has impacted over $4 billion worth of decisions. She has a proven track record of dealing with complex business issues and getting results. For more information, visit www.jcs-usa.com.


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