Are You Nice? That could be dangerous (You better be clear.)

Why lack of clarity—not lack of talent—is killing performance.

“Honestly… half the time I’m not even sure what you want from me,” Karim said after a long pause.

Julie had called the meeting to talk about his underperformance. Deadlines were slipping. His energy felt off. She was starting to question if he was still the right fit.

But Karim wasn’t lost. He was guessing—navigating in the dark. And what he needed wasn’t more vision. It was clarity.

The Clarity Gap: Hidden Performance Killer

Karim’s story isn’t rare. In our work with leaders and teams, we’ve seen this again and again: high-potential people underdelivering, not because they don’t care—but because they’re unsure.

They start hesitating. Playing it safe.
They stop asking questions—afraid they should already know the answers.
Eventually, they burn out chasing a target they can’t see.

From the outside, it looks like a talent issue.
But many times? It’s a leadership flaw.

Not a lack of kindness.
A lack of clarity.

Clarity Is a Leadership Skill

In fast-moving organizations, it’s tempting to believe that “big vision” is enough. But vision without translation leaves your team in a fog.

If your strength is strategy, someone else’s might be execution.
They don’t need more momentum.
They need answers to three simple questions:

What exactly needs to be done?
When is it due?
What does success look like?

Without this, even your best people guess. And when they guess wrong? We call it underperformance.

Coaching Tool: Current State – Desired State

One of the most effective coaching tools for leaders is the Current State – Desired State map. It creates shared understanding in minutes.

Try it. Ask:

Where are we now? (Current state – Let THEM answer. In Writing!)
Where do you think you’re expected to be? (Desired state, also in writing.)

Then talk through the gap. What’s clear? What’s missing? Where’s the fog?

This isn’t micromanagement. It’s leadership with the lights on.

Clear Is Kind. Vague Is a Liability.

Most of us think we’re being clear. We talk. We explain. We assume we’ve been understood.

But as George Bernard Shaw said:

“The single biggest problem in communication is the illusion that it has taken place.”

Clarity isn’t more words or louder words.
It’s not charisma. It’s not a PowerPoint deck.

Real clarity begins when your people write it down, reflect it back, and show you how they understand it.

That’s not blame. That’s alignment.

Ready to Close the Clarity Gap?

Use the Current State – Desired State tool in your next one-on-one. And if you want deeper insights into how your team thinks, decides, and communicates, explore the ACE Preferences assessment. It reveals how different styles show up at work—and how clarity can look different depending on the person.

Because clarity isn’t just a leadership tactic.
It’s an act of care.

Let’s make it crystal.