The Power of Clarity: Unleash the True Potential of Workplace Productivity, Confidence, and Empowerment

Description

Organizations are stressed. Innovation and global competition have become the source of relentless pressure and customers have never had higher expectations. Corporate efforts to improve everyday productivity and boost profits are producing diminishing returns. Yet a new frontier of enormous opportunity to improve results is hidden in plain sight. According to a Fortune 500 study, as much as 80% of working time is lost to tiresome meetings, unclear expectations, difficult decisions, and other wasteful delays. Overcoming the lack of clarity behind this waste - on both an individual and organizational basis - would reap huge rewards. In The Power of Clarity, Ann Latham exposes the unrecognized confusion and explains how to eliminate it. This fascinating guide to workplace productivity and effectiveness draws upon extensive research and case studies to demonstrate how you can get better results in far less time while also increasing confidence and commitment.

Ann Latham is the founder of US-based consulting firm Uncommon Clarity. She has clients from over 40 industries including organizations such as Boeing, Hitachi, and PBS. She is an expert in strategic clarity and strategies for productivity, performance and commitment. She has been interviewed by publications such as The New York Times, Bloomberg, and MSNBC and is an expert blogger for Forbes. She is an accomplished speaker and author of The Clarity Papers and Uncommon Meetings.

If complacency and confusion are the disease, clarity is the antidote. And this book is a first-rate guide to infusing its healing powers throughout your organization. The Power of Clarity will help leaders of every kind sharpen their priorities, improve their process, and find greater meaning in their work. -- Daniel H. Pink, author of When, Drive and To Sell is Human The Power of Clarity offers profound wisdom and pragmatic tools - industrial-strength thinking tools - for avoiding the activity trap where a bias for action can lead to wasted effort misinterpreted as true progress. A must-read for anyone who cares about advancing achievement. -- Chip R. Bell, author of 'Inside Your Customer's Imagination' What we think is clear is too often what we merely perceive through the fog we don't see. In The Power of Clarity, Ann Latham clears that up, but be prepared for the reality. -- Alan Weiss, PhD, author, Million Dollar Consulting, Legacy, and over 60 other books in 15 languages Who doesn't want to work smarter rather than more or harder? Who doesn't want to be a more effective leader? In The Power of Clarity, Ann gives specific advice on how to unleash the power of clarity in a complex world. It provides theory only where necessary and is highly practical and applicable. -- Prof. Dr. Guido Quelle, Managing Partner, Mandat GmbH, Dortmund, London, New York and author of 'Profitable Growth' The Power of Clarity is chocked full of excellent, actionable advice on how to do just about everything better in any workplace. It's a rare business book that has something valuable on just about every page. No matter where someone is in their evolution as a leader or manager, The Power of Clarity has something to offer. -- Eli Lehrer, President, R Street Every professional recognizes the importance of clarity - yet it's often hard to come by in the corporate world. With this smart new framework, Ann Latham shows us how to enhance our own clarity, improve team productivity, and create better organizational performance. An awesome book! -- Dorie Clark, Executive Education Professor, Duke University Fuqua School of Business and author of 'Reinventing You' A critical book for every leader! Learn to give your teams, employees and peers, the clear communication they need to be their most effective and productive in The Power of Clarity. -- Marshall Goldsmith, New York Times #1 bestselling author of 'Triggers', 'Mojo', and 'What Got You Here Won't Get You There' The Power of Clarity is a 1000 watt halogen bulb blasting through the ambiguous fog of unfocused meetings, imprecise language, bloated to-do lists, ambiguous expectations, and the lack of serious prioritization that drags down organizational performance. -- Dan Markovitz, Shingo prize-winning author, speaker, and consultant. His newest book is 'The Conclusion Trap' The one thing that sets apart people who wish for something, and those who achieve it, is that the second group at some point was able to get clarity. Ann explains in a smart and entertaining way why achieving and embracing clarity is the first step to become the better version of yourself, to work smarter, not harder, and to simply lead a happier life. -- Dr. Martina Muttke, author of 'Build Better Brains' Ann Latham is one of the clearest thinkers I know. Her words leap off the page, with an urgency and a call to action that is hard to ignore -- Jennifer Geary, COO, Asto UK Clarity is the holy grail of decision-making, which is the heart of effective leadership. Ann Latham has made the ethereal practical in The Power of Clarity. Rich in examples and practical applications, it is a worthy contribution to the science and art of leadership. -- Matt Church, founder, Thought Leaders and author of Rise Up: An Evolution in Leadership This intriguing book provides compelling evidence that vague and confusing written and oral communication take an enormous toll on workplace productivity. Latham offers specific and straightforward advice for improving decision-making, communication and efficiency. A must-read for anyone, whether business leader or not, who wants better, faster outcomes. -- Van Zimmer, Former Judge, Iowa Court of Appeals This is a crisp, clearly written book on a critical but overlooked element of individual and organizational capacity: clarity. Although it seems obvious that lack of clarity wastes enormous amounts of time and capacity, many forces get in the way of achieving it. This book, which has almost universal application, shows the systematic ways of thinking and action steps that can bring valuable, time-saving, focused processes to problem-solving. Everyone who works will benefit from it. -- Allan R. Cohen, Emeritus Professor of Management, Babson College and bestselling co-author of 'Influence without Authority' Every day, in nearly every organization, lack of clarity leads to frustration, dissatisfaction and failure to deliver to expectations. The Power of Clarity reveals a huge, hidden-in-plain-sight frontier for improvement. I couldn't see it before reading this book. Now I can't not see it! -- Amanda Setili, author, Fearless Growth and The Agility Advantage The Power of Clarity offers a holistic and inclusive way of thinking and doing that would benefit any kind of organization. Latham demonstrates how enhanced attitudes, confidence, respect, trust, and satisfaction are consequences of her process just as much as improved performance. -- Katherine Platt, Associate Professor of Cultural Anthropology, Babson College Clarity. Such a seemingly simple concept yet so difficult to achieve in a complex world. Ann shows how to break through "disclarity" and attain amazing results through practical, real world examples. A must-read for our time. -- Lynne Robertson, CEO and owner, FAME Agency If you want to cut through the clutter and chaos of your crazy-busy life, get The Power of Clarity. It's filled with rock-solid strategies to help you get the right things done expeditiously. -- Jill Konrath, international speaker and bestselling author of 'More Sales, Less Time' A valuable resource for managers and leaders at all levels who can achieve greater organizational excellence using the many practical strategies in this book. -- Joseph R. Weintraub, Professor of Management, Babson College and co-author of 'The Coaching Manager' and 'How to Manage Student Consulting Projects' Communicating with clarity is vital for effective conversations and effective relationships. The Power of Clarity is packed with examples that prove clarity is the essence of effective communication - and the fallout from lack of clarity can destroy careers and even organizations. -- Ken Blanchard, co-author of 'The New One Minute Manager' and 'Leading at a Higher Level'