To Ensure Project Success, Follow your Intuition and Ask for Clarity
Here is a story about a time where I learned the importance of asking for clarity. I hope you find this helpful:
Digital product development presents incredible opportunities for us to help our customers and our colleagues. One of the ways we can help is by providing clarity.
About 12 years ago, I was an executive advisor on a project at a large telecommunications company. I was in a meeting with the CTO and his staff one day when he laid out his vision. Part of his vision was “being agile”. Everyone applauded and drank the Kool-Aid.
However, I had a nagging question in the back of my mind:
“What does he mean by agile?”
Yet no one in the meeting asked that question. The project launched to realize his vision and his team went to work diligently.
In subsequent conversations with the CTO, I then realized what he meant by agile:
He was simply referring to the ability to pivot when business conditions change.
However, his team interpreted agile as implementing agile project management and development methodologies. So, there was a disconnect between the articulated vision and what was implemented.
There were three points of failure in this abridged but real scenario:
- The CTO provided a high-level vision with language that could be left to interpretation. He did not provide detail and clarity to eliminate ambiguity or misinterpretation.
- His staff did not ask follow-up questions or ask for clarification around what he meant by agile. They did not seek clarification for ambiguity or nebulous language.
- I had that nagging question, but I did not ask it in a timely manner. I discovered his intent through subsequent conversations instead of asking that question when he was presenting his vision.
As a leader, when articulating your vision, goals, objectives, etc., it is important to be clear, eliminate ambiguity, minimize assumptions, provide detail of your intentions, and most importantly be open to questions. This will position your team to execute well and be successful. As a team member, ask clarifying questions if there is ambiguity or lack of understanding. Don’t assume, rather be certain of the vision, goals, objectives, etc. This will provide the necessary clarity for you as a team member to execute.
To all product development people who are reading this — if the vision, goals, objectives, etc. are unclear, please communicate with your clients and leadership. It’s their job to provide clarification and work to minimise or eliminate ambiguity. They also have the power to eliminate conflicting priorities — as conflicting priorities mean they have not fully thought through what is needed to be done. As product leaders, it is our responsibility to position ourselves and our teams for success.
When you work with your customers and your colleagues, please ensure you provide clarity across all you do. That clarity will build trust, foster understanding, and be the foundation for an open and honest work environment.
I wish you the best of success and continue leading the way.
Troy Wood,
Founder, nexTier Innovations
Special thanks to Tremis Skeete, Executive Editor at Product Coalition for his valuable input which contributed to the editing of this article.
