Keep it Simple.
Great leaders are almost always great simplifiers, who can cut through argument, debate and doubt, to offer a solution everybody can understand. Colin Powell
Great leaders leave indelible footprints in the passage of time, often spanning generations; unmistakable evidence; markers of where they have been.
Regardless of when, and where they walk, great men and women leave their footprints; revealing with clarity their spirit, courage and the direction they were going; along with encouragement to follow in their footsteps.
Leadership is the ability to influence people; to get them to act together and on time; to provide direction and instill confidence.
Really great leaders understand that leadership involves taking the collective, their people and team on the same journey as themselves and making it as easy as possible for people to follow. Often, great leaders espouse the principle that they don’t expect anyone to do anything they wouldn’t do themselves.
These men and women consult widely, listen carefully, decide clearly and act decisively. They know that clear thinking and solutions that can be understood are contagious amongst their people, and they also know that the opposite is true.
Leaders throughout history generally fallen into one of two categories: those whose goal is to see their people achieve the very best outcomes possible by delivering absolute clarity, transparency and simplicity in what they say and do; and those who seek to obfuscate, confuse and generally keep their people in the dark are those who are often either insecure in their leadership, or who have hidden and perhaps ulterior agendas.
Solutions to any problem require clarity and confidence to work. Great leaders have the ability to articulate solutions; doing so in a way that clearly explains how it will work; and providing assurance that the proposed solution will work.
This is the opposite to those who obfuscate and avoid clear answers, resulting in doubt and a lack of confidence.
Productive leaders confront the noise and endless analysis that pervades modern times, cutting through minutia, conflict and vested interests to deliver clarity; clarity from carefully sifting the issues, complexities and spurious views; then highlighting the real issues and the right solutions or choices.
Self-centred leaders, those with ulterior motives delight in these unsettled times, for there, amidst the melee and associated confusion great opportunities arise to achieve their ends.
Effective leaders wisely and intuitively separate the relevant from the irrelevant, and then clearly articulate the facts with such simplicity and dexterity that all who hear the message can understand and have confidence to proceed.
In such times there generally are those whose method is to introduce irrelevant and confusing issues to cover up their real objectives and to prosecute their own cause. Some times the tactic is merely to stall for time or to raise issues that are red herrings that distract the debate from the important issues of the day.
Typical of such tactics is where leaders advocate multiple issues that are known to be controversial, knowing that their real agenda will fly under the radar. Complexity, accidental hiding of facts and blaming other people are the tools of trade for these leaders.
Often this entails launching into endless detail, designed in part to confuse their listeners and convey an impression that the said leader is invaluable, who is the only one who understands the issues and can effectively lead the team. A favourite claim used by these leaders is the devil is in the detail.
The role of clear thinking, clear speaking leaders in these times is critical, as those with less than ideal motives seek to have their sway, often for their own gain; and the risk of those with ulterior motives holding sway over the debate is enhanced. Many corporate collapses have occurred due to leaders deliberately hiding critical information amongst mountains of detail, carefully designed to hide these essential truths. There is a thin line between these practices and pure nondisclosure.
Self-centered leaders, those who invoke great complexity in their activities and communications are frequently those who use such complexity to mask their own agendas and goals, whose goal is self promotion, self-preservation and perpetuation of their leadership.
Clarity of speech has always been key to progress, as evidenced by the apostle Paul, who wrote some 2000 years ago concerning clarity, using the analogy: And if the one who plays the bugle does not sound a clear call, who will prepare for battle?
Great leaders understand the wisdom of truthfulness and clarity; of keeping their message simple and easy to understand.
The footprints of great leaders, who saw into the future and spanned generations, who have previously travelled our paths will often reveal simply, yet profoundly, the benefits of speaking and acting clearly.
Author Neil Findlay
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