
In my role as a consultant, I occasionally encounter situations where, shall we say, things are not going well for my clients and they want solutions to their problems.
Recently, a client asked me the following interesting question, “If you were asked to give your clients the best advice you could offer in one sentence or less, what would you say to them?” Without thinking much about it, I replied, “Seek and provide clarity.”
Clarity will not solve every problem or help you take advantage of every opportunity related to your business, but it will usually be a significant part of any solution. Think of the frustrations and failures you experienced last year. How many of them were somehow related to lack of clarity? Now think about your successes. How important was clarity in these situations?
OK, enough philosophical discussion about the value of clarity. I think most of you understand this without me telling you. However, the important question is, “How can I do a better job of seeking and providing clarity?” A simple three-step process could be the answer. It involves pausing briefly before you act or speak and answering the following three questions: 1. What? 2. So What? 3. Now What?
Let’s clarify the purpose of these three questions.
What? – Think about how you can best describe or articulate exactly what you are thinking or talking about in as few words as possible (similar to a newspaper headline).
So What? – Describe why you, or the person (or people) you are managing, selling to, or communicating with should care about the issue.
Now What? – Once you and others you are dealing with clearly understand the idea and understand why it is important, determine what action you (or they) can take to follow up on the idea.
Hopefully by now you understand exactly what I am talking about (clarity) and why it is important (it can help you solve problems and take advantage of opportunities). Now let’s focus on how you can follow up on this idea.
When you sense any lack of clarity related to important issues in your life, get out a blank sheet of paper and somehow divide it into three sections. Make keyword notes related to your thoughts on the three different questions in the three different sections. Add words, mark through words, circle words and do whatever it takes to refine and distill your thoughts. Stick with it until you are clear about what you are thinking or talking about, why it is important and what to do about it. Of course, the piece of paper is not as important as learning to think in terms of the three questions.
In addition to other benefits you realize from increased clarity, implementing this idea can help you attract clients. People are bombarded with a relentless barrage of confusing information every day. In such an environment, the competitive advantage shifts to those who can clearly and consistently articulate answers to the questions What? So What? and Now What?
Article by Chris Crouch from Memphis Daily News.
Smart Stuff 4 Work is written by Chris Crouch. Chris has spent years researching and studying both the mental and physical aspects of being productive and is the author of several books on the topic including Getting More Done
, Getting Organized
, and Being Productive
. He is also the developer of the GO System, a training course for improving workplace productivity.