I was the special guest on a TV broadcast of the Hopkinton Coffee Break recently. It was a lot of fun and a good way to get to know me. You will also hear some good pointers on clarity, of course!
Massachusetts recently tried to make changes in state health care programs for retired civil servants. They had to back down when the retirees protested. The Governor, Charlie Baker, blamed a lack of communication. The Boston Public Schools recently tried to change school start times. They too had to back down following excessive protests. Once again, a lack of communication was cited as the culprit. This is stupid. This is the kind of thinking that leads to endless meetings where everyone is invited. Truth be told, no matter how many meetings you have, no matter how many people are allowed to have their say, and no matter how many explanations you distribute, you will have protests if you mess with people’s lives and expect communication to be the preventive medicine.
“I hadn’t realized how entrenched I was in so many time-wasting habits until Ann Latham made them transparent. It’s almost embarrassing,” said Jim Goodwin, CEO of CHD. Just a few days ago, I talked with another client who told me that after working with me, he can’t not see the lack of clarity surrounding him. The lack of specificity, the lack of cognitive process clarity, and the lack of effective communication that are so ubiquitous. The language that drives activity, not results. The time-wasting habits so firmly entrenched in business-as-usual. The disclarity that was completely invisible to him before, and that is now so transparently an obstacle to progress. I share these examples to demonstrate that just because you are a competent, successful, hard-working leader, like these two, doesn’t mean you are aware of the disclarity around you.
It’s tough to grow when you are breathing your own exhaust, getting little useful pushback, and not knowing what you don’t know. That’s why my best clients enlist my services as a trusted advisor.
When I told you about my newest book, The Clarity Papers, I forgot one important detail: the Special Offer!
Remember when Bambi was born and Thumper was jumping around yelling, “It’s happened! It’s happened! The new prince is born!”? Well, that pretty much describes the way I’ve been feeling the last few days and I’m really excited to share my news. No fawn, unfortunately, more like a dawn! My newest book, The Clarity Papers, has arrived! Furthermore, the Kindle version will be available for free tomorrow, January 24th, through Friday this week. I’ll post a reminder tomorrow morning with the link so you don’t forget. What’s The Clarity Papers about?
Turtlenecks are making a comeback. It took their comeback to make me realize they had pretty much disappeared! Not counting the ones I continued to wear, of course. I just don’t notice these things. It’s good that my business doesn’t depend on my attention to high fashion! But it is a huge problem when you are oblivious to factors that matter to your success. I encountered several retailers this holiday season who fit that description. They don’t seem to have noticed that:
As online shopping has taken over, so have the porch pirates. The losses and inconvenience are adding up. Amazon wants to rectify the situation by gaining access to your home instead of leaving packages on your porch. Nice try, Amazon. But why would I pay you big bucks to let you into my house when no one is home, especially when some of your drivers have proven to be among the pirates?
There are five population areas around the world where people live longer than the average US citizen by almost 25 years. They don’t just live long, they live well, remaining vibrant and healthy as they age. They are called Blue Zones and researchers study them to find commonalities.
It was a sleigh ride I won’t soon forget. From the North Pole to the heart of New York City, it was beautiful and exciting. We swooped into the city, darting between buildings, swinging left and then right, sweeping past landmarks, before alighting in front of the Radio City Music Hall and rushing into the Christmas Spectacular right behind Santa! We watched with joy as Santa proved he could be at the North Pole, on the street corner, and in every shopping mall all at once. Dancing Santas appeared on the balconies, filled the stage, waltzed down the aisles, and marched across the walls and ceilings. The magic and beauty were dazzling. Six thousand visitors left with visions of sugar plums dancing across their smiling faces.