Painting a Clear Picture of Success: Give Answers, Not Clues

Agatha Christie wrote what are called Fair-Play mysteries, or whodunits. In other words, the story includes all the clues needed to solve the mystery. 

You are not Agatha Christie. 

Do not hide clues in your company messaging. Instead, say what you mean openly and clearly. 

Know the goal

A clear mission is the foundation upon which your business builds its work. 

But how do you, as a business owner, translate that clarity from your head into theirs? How do you turn your ideas into actionable, understandable expectations for your team?

 It requires more than stating a goal; it’s about providing the full context.

Knowing the reasons

Simply telling your team, “This is our goal,” is like handing them a single clue and expecting them to see the whole picture. 

To empower your employees and make sure they’re all heading in the same direction, you need to paint a complete and vivid picture of success.

Explain to your team what comes:

• Before the goal: why is this particular goal important to your business based on where it is today?
• After the goal: what is the tangible impact it will have on the business?

Know what to say

The next time you set a goal, take a moment to paint that complete picture. Use last week’s worksheet to articulate what will be seen, heard, and felt in the business as a direct result of achieving a goal. It transforms an abstract target into a living, breathing vision of the future. 

What next

It can be easier to have an outside person facilitate this group discussion. Contact me to learn about team alignment workshops.