Define a Path to Success
Every organization needs a clear path to success, and every leader in your organization should be equipped to provide strategic clarity for their teams. This is one of the essential ingredients for leading your organization and teams to achieve growth, health, and impact. Unfortunately, when a leader or team in your organization lacks a clear path to success, they will tend to…
- Think and act in short-sighted, reactive ways
- Fall out of sync with one another and organizational objectives
- Engage in unproductive work and conflicts
- Fail to respond adequately to significant issues and opportunities
Why Teams Lack Clarity
Many leaders need to pay more attention to the time and energy required to create this level of clarity. According to the Rotman School of Management, 43% of leaders need help stating their strategy. In addition, the Strategic Thinking Institute says that 85% of executive leadership teams spend less than one hour per month discussing strategy, with 50% spending no time at all.
Is it any wonder that so many teams fail to live up to their potential? The fact is, creating clarity takes a lot of work. This is especially true when considering the many daily issues and fires leaders must handle. It can feel as if creating strategic clarity is a waste of time compared to the concrete, tactical matters that require so much time and effort. However, a clear team will outperform a confused team every single time.
A Clear Path to Success Will…
Promote focus and prioritization
Encourage a greater degree of accountability
Support higher levels of productivity
Align behavior through shared values, purpose, and goals
Empower decision-making and decrease inefficiencies
The Six Strategic, Clarifying Questions
To define a path to success, focus your organization and leaders on answering six strategic and clarifying questions. As a leader, if you can help your team answer these six fundamental questions, you will have taken the necessary and critical first step on the journey to clarity.
Why Do We Exist?
Where Are We Headed?
Who Do We Serve?
How Will We Succeed?
How Do We Measure Success?
What is Important, Right Now?
At Wayfinder, we aim to help leaders and organizations achieve growth, health, and impact. Over the next several weeks, we will share the concepts and tools you need to answer these six questions meaningfully and impactfully.
We hope you follow us as we discuss the issues that will help you drive growth, health, and impact for your team and organization!