Page 72 - Make Work Great

It Starts with You

them at ease, solicited their help when necessary, and kept them out
of my way. Most of Emma’s contributions over the life of the problem
could actually be characterized as either the act or product of seeking
clarity. It was the core of all she did.
Seeking clarity is the art of soliciting the information you need to
decide your most intelligent next move, given that many things still
remain undetermined. But it’s more than just walking around asking
about what’s happening. To effectively seek clarity, you must prepare
specifi c defi nitions for three things: the question you’re asking, the

approach you’ll take in asking it, and the specific need for agreement
that it entails.

1. Define Your Question
As you consistently practice the six types of overtness from Chapter
2 and struggle with the inevitable questions they raise, you’ll fi nd
yourself needing answers in order to move forward. Defi ning your
questions clearly is the fi rst step in fi nding those answers. As you read
the examples of well-defi ned questions that follow (organized around
the six types of overtness), think about which of them best apply to
you today. After all, whatever your job in the crystalline network may
be, your fi rst priority is to discover and defi ne that job.
First and foremost are questions that pertain to purpose, and they
are designed to help clarify your summary outputs list. Your ques-
tions in this area may sound something like this:

• What exactly am I trying to accomplish?
• Who is involved with my output requirements?
• How should I spend my time and resources?
• Which of my activities are most important?

Here, you’re seeking clarity about your role in the network. Imagine
having a conversation with your boss about one of your goals, such
as improving sales performance. You may start out trying to agree on
your success criteria and, in the process, discover that the two of you

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