As a husband, leader, business owner or plain old human being, I feel “stuck” more than any other negative feeling or emotion.  All other feelings and emotions seem to have their root in feeling and being stuck.  The Cambridge Online Dictionary defines “stuck” as unable to move from a particular position or place or unable to change a situation.  For me and many of my clients, being stuck is feeling…

  • Unclear or fuzzy
  • Directionless
  • Doubts about self and situation
  • Not sure what to do next
  • No momentum
  • Confusion/disorder

Where are you feeling one or more of these in your work and life right now?

The opposite of these feelings (a.k.a. being stuck) include…

  • Focus
  • Knowing exactly what to do
  • No questions or at least the unknowns are in the background
  • Passion/excitement
  • Know priorities

What would be different if these five characteristics defined everything you do?

These feelings can be summarized in one word, “clarity.”

Achieving clarity for yourself or business could appear to be a daunting task, especially in the face of being or feeling stuck.  To aid you in getting to clarity, bring the situation or yourself down the simplest terms.  The essence of you as a person or the organization you are leading.  For that, I use Patrick Lencioni’s Six Critical Questions, found in his book, The Advantage.  The Six Critical Questions are presented in the book as a means to gain alignment in a leadership team and thereby organizational health and I see the first five of the six questions as the essence of clarity for every person and if you’re a leader in an organization, add the sixth question too.

  1. Why do I/we exist?
  2. How do I/we behave?
  3. What do I/we do?
  4. How will I/we succeed?
  5. What is most important, right now?
  6. Who must do must?

Start with these questions right away to get unstuck.  I’ll share insights into each of the six questions in the next six posts.  In the meantime, consider the following:

What is fuzzy right now in your life or leadership?

Which of the six questions speaks to you most in that area?