Clarity is a crucial component of leadership because it is foundational for effective communication. Leaders must pay attention to two aspects of clarity regarding their teams: clarity in each team member’s role and clarity in the organizational vision.
Clarity in a Team Member’s Role:
Clarity in a person’s role is not just critical for productivity and performance. It’s also empowering. When an individual knows what is required and expected of them, in addition to proper training and support, it becomes a roadmap to their success. This empowerment boosts their confidence and capability, leading to better performance and engagement. Often, people use the words “Requirements” and “Expectations” interchangeably, but they are two different things.
“Requirements” in a role or job are the non-negotiables. These things have to happen for the employee to fulfill their job description and the role they were hired to do.
“Expectations” are things hoped for in the employee or their performance.
For example, in most sales organizations, you have some quota or Key Performance Indicator (KPI). A requirement would be that a sales associate hits a minimum of 95% of their quota each quarter to maintain their company position and avoid being fired. An expectation would be that the employee hits at least 100% of their quota each quarter with periodic increases over time. See the difference? You cannot hold someone responsible for a requirement, which is, in all actuality, an expectation.
Both requirements and expectations should be verbally communicated, written down, and reviewed together. Both should be communicated during the interview process, but they should also be reviewed during the onboarding and career follow-ups. In that way, the leader creates clarity for the employee and allows for a consistent process to develop the employee’s skillsets during the probationary/learning time frame of employment.
Clarity in Organizational Vision:
A lack of clarity about an organization’s vision is like trying to shoot a moving target while blindfolded. It doesn’t work. Yet, we often see executives and leaders creating a vision or mission that doesn’t get communicated to their employees. Having employees in alignment with organizational goals not only influences their performance and productivity but also their behavior and level of engagement. When employees understand and align with the organizational vision, they feel a sense of belonging and connection to something bigger than themselves. This is a key aspect of Maslow’s hierarchy of needs (see diagram below), feeding the sense of connection, belonging, self-respect, and esteem that goes along with accomplishments. The bottom two layers of Maslow’s hierarchy of needs require, to a certain degree, money to attain. A person’s safety (health, resources, and property) and physiological needs (food, water, shelter, and clothing) require financial investment. The upper three layers, however, do not. In other words, you cannot simply throw cash or a contest at an employee and expect them to automatically feel a sense of connection or belonging to an organization more significant than themselves. Because the upper three layers are not achieved through compensation, to really “speak” to these levels, leaders must create an environment where employees feel connected and heard within their organization. Making sure each employee or team member has clarity in their role and with organizational vision is just one way to achieve that.
Questions to Ask Yourself:
1. Do I have clarity in understanding my role?
2. Can I distinctly separate my Requirements from Expectations?
3. Do I have clarity in understanding the organizational vision?
4. How have I communicated these to my team?
5. How often do I follow up with my team regarding their understanding of the importance of their role in the organizational vision?
6. Have I created a “safe place” for them to ask questions for additional clarity?