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    You are here Home » vision

    6 Reasons You’re Not Thinking Clearly

    Last updated on Dec 20, 2018 by Dan McCarthy · This post may contain affiliate links

    Guest post from Karen Martin:

    Ambiguity has
    become the status quo in most of our organizations. And, it’s the enemy to
    efficiency, productivity, and a healthy bottom line.

    Achieving
    clarity is the only way to defeat this enemy. But getting clear on everything,
    from why your organization exists and what its priorities are, to how people
    must operate based on their clearly defined role, requires time and effort.

    Considering
    that it can take two people half a day to get clear on a question as trivial as
    what to eat for dinner, it’s no wonder that many feel that the complexity of
    the organizational environment makes clarity seem impossible. In addition to
    our current cluttered environment, habits and our psychological makeup can stand
    in the way of clear thinking.

    Here are six
    traps to watch out for:

    You’re in the dark. The first step in changing any habit is
    recognizing that you have it. This is harder than it seems with clarity since
    it lies in that middle of what’s being communicated and what’s being received. I
    might think an idea is perfectly clear but fail to get it across to you. You,
    in turn, may think you understand something but don’t. Communication and
    repeating back your understanding is key.

    You lack curiosity. “Why?” is the most frequent question
    children ask and reflects our innate desire to know. But as we grow up, our
    curiosity is drummed out. This is a shame. Curiosity pushes us to try things
    people say we can’t accomplish or to differentiate between two options. Fortunately,
    organizations are filled with people with dormant curiosity waiting to be
    sparked. With a bit of coaxing and the cultivation of a welcoming culture, they
    can reinvigorate this curiosity where questions are both encouraged and
    rewarded.

    You think you know it all. Many leaders think they know, but they
    don’t, and they aren’t going to ask. Their hubris gets in the way and keeps
    them from seeing the full picture. Fortunately, mindsets are malleable. People
    can overcome their hubris and adopt a growth mindset with reflection, coaching,
    and some work on the self. They can choose to let go of their belief that they
    know everything and start asking more curiosity-driven questions of more
    people.

    You’re biased. Biases serve as filters for the brain.
    They sift through the thousands of pieces of information and let through only
    the ones they deem important. Biased decisions sometimes work out okay but
    leaders should beware of relying on their “instincts.” That’s because biases
    are unreliable by definition. My biases may be different from yours, and yours different
    from someone else. We are not all steering in the same direction if bias is
    driving us.

    You pack the plate too full. Organizations give people at all
    levels far more to do on a given day than they can reasonably achieve. People
    often feel like they don’t have the time to stop, assess, and consider whether
    the actions they take by rote are the right ones. Few of us are in control of
    our time but those who are, or who can influence how time is spent by others,
    should invest in giving people a percentage of their time for assessments and
    problem solving.

    You’re afraid. All of the psychological and behavioral
    obstacles to clarity share a common cause: fear. Fear comes in many forms and
    has many roots. Yet in most cases the fear people feel about seeking clarity in
    the workplace is based on incomplete thinking. The problem you are avoiding
    exists whether you seek clarity on it or not. Realize that the longer you wait,
    the worse the consequences of that problem can become—and the harder to fix.  
    Achieving clarity
    is hard work—but it can be liberating, productive, efficient—and lucrative.
    Karen Martin, president of the global consulting firm
    TKMG, Inc.,
    is a leading authority on business performance and Lean management. Her latest
    book, ClarityFirst, is her most provocative to date and diagnoses the
    ubiquitous business management and leadership problem―the lack of clarity―and
    outlines specific actions to dramatically improve organizational
    performance. 

    « Why Managers Don’t Listen (Poor Listener Syndrome): and the Cures!
    Helicopter Leadership »
    AFTER ENTRY

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