The HBR Guides Collection (8 Books) (HBR Guide Series)

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Chapter 8

Be relentlessly

clear

Clarity can be a double-edged sword. When you’re forth-

right enough to take a position or recommend a course

of action, you’re sticking your neck out. People who don’t

want to commit make their writing muddy. Perhaps they’re

trying to leave room for their views to evolve as events un-

fold. Or perhaps they’re hoping they can later claim credit

for good results and deny responsibility for bad ones.

The fact is, though, that many readers will perceive

them not as savvy wait-and-see participants but as spine-

less herd-followers who are slow to see (much less seize)

opportunities within their reach. So clean up the mud.

Adopt the reader’s perspective

Always judge clarity from the reader’s standpoint—not

your own. T ...