Your Next Clear Move
Welcome to Your Next Clear Move™—the podcast for leaders, professionals, and high-capacity humans who are done “getting ready” and ready to move.
I’m Debbie Peterson, Leadership Readiness Expert, and in each episode I deliver grounded insight, clarity-driven mindset strategies, and one actionable step to help you stop the drift and lead yourself forward.
This isn’t about fixing what’s broken. It’s about reconnecting to what matters—and making decisions that align with who you are and how you want to lead next.
Subscribe for weekly clarity drops that fuel your next level—with confidence.
Your Next Clear Move
The Power of Clarity in Leadership – Get Clear, Get Confident, Get Ahead
Unlock the secrets to transforming your leadership approach by harnessing the power of clarity. Has decision-making ever felt like navigating through a foggy windshield? In today's episode of the Getting to Clarity podcast, I, Debbie Peterson, promise to guide you from uncertainty to a place of confidence and success. Clarity is not just an idealistic concept but a practical tool that helps leaders define their goals, values, and priorities, thereby fostering trust and inspiration within their teams. We examine the differences between leaders who inspire with purpose and those who leave their teams in the lurch by shifting priorities reactively. By embracing self-reflection and focusing on high-impact actions, you can make meaningful progress without falling into the trap of overwhelm.
In our pursuit of clarity, we explore how it is something to be actively created, not passively discovered. By taking intentional steps today, you can transform your confidence, career, and leadership abilities. This episode is your invitation to begin this journey of self-discovery and development. Embracing feedback as a valuable gift and prioritizing self-care are critical components in this process. I extend my best wishes as you seek the clarity you deserve and offer insights on how to implement transformational leadership strategies in your organization. Join me on this enlightening episode and start shaping a future where your leadership is infused with purpose and clarity.
Hey, hello and welcome back. I am Debbie Peterson of Getting to Clarity, and this is another episode of the Getting to Clarity podcast. This is the place where you come if you want to get the tips, tools and techniques to create more success in your leadership with less sacrifice to who you are in your life. It's about being efficient and getting the clarity edge, and today we're talking about the power of clarity in leadership, how it can help you get clear, get confident and get ahead. So if you have ever felt like you're moving through life in a fog and you're unsure of your next step, believe me, I have been there and it's pretty frustrating. So today we're going to talk about some tools, some tips that will help you get by this. So stay tuned.
Speaker 2:Welcome to the Getting to Clarity podcast.
Speaker 3:The place where busy leaders discover how to create more success in their leadership journey with less sacrifice in their life.
Speaker 2:Here's your host, debbie Peterson, of Getting to Clarity.
Speaker 1:You know, when you are in a place where you're not able to figure out next steps, it's pretty frustrating. I see you, I hear you, I've been you. Um, you know it, it's hard to know what to do next. It's like driving with a smudged windshield and you can't quite see clearly what's in front of you. Um, you got to take it really slow. Uh, you know, when you find yourself in this point, uh, whether it's leadership or life, it's frustrating. You know, there's no way around that without clarity.
Speaker 1:So what I'd like to start, where I'd like to start with you today, is what clarity really means and why it matters. Because clarity cleans things up for you. You can see obstacles, you can see opportunities, you know, in your life and in your career. It can help eliminate uncertainty and help you move forward with confidence. But what it really means is knowing who you are, what you want and how to get there. It's the ability to define goals, values and priorities so that your decisions and actions align with what truly matters to you. So without this sort of clarity, it is so easy to drift. You say yes to things that drain you, you stay in situations that no longer serve you and you get stuck because you don't have a clear vision of what's next. All you know is where you are is not where you want to be. On the flip side, when you have clarity, things shift. You are better able to see direction, you communicate better, you make decisions faster because, even though you don't have all the answers, you've got that clarity of direction, and that allows you to step into opportunities with much more confidence. So leaders with clarity are the ones who inspire. They don't just react to what's happening around them, they act with intention, and if you had a leader like that, you'll know what I'm talking about, and hopefully you have. You know, leaders like that are able to set a vision and move toward it with purpose, and it makes it easier to articulate to others so they can follow in their lead.
Speaker 1:But when you lack clarity, um, whether it's as a leader, it's as, um you know, an individual contributor. Hesitation takes over, you second guess decisions, you struggle, um, to move forward, and that makes it harder to gain trust with the people that you work with. That work for you, the people you work for, and it can allow you get to the point where you feel like you are overwhelmed with competing priorities. So clarity and leadership. Here's why it changes everything.
Speaker 1:So again, think about a leader that you admire, a specific leader. Chances are they have a strong sense of direction. They don't get caught up in every new distraction. Instead, they stay focused on what matters most. Now, that's not to say that they don't occasionally recalibrate. That evaluation is key.
Speaker 1:But on the other side of this, I want you to imagine a leader who isn't clear. Can you think of a person, a very specific person, right? They hesitate. They shift priorities constantly. You never know what's going to be on your plate from day to day, what's going to be the priority, and it leaves everybody on the team feeling uncertain. Without clarity, leadership feels reactive instead of intentional. But when you have a clear vision, decision-making becomes so much easier and it is easier to convey what you need to to the people that you work with and for you. People trust you. They know who's going to show up. They trust your direction.
Speaker 1:So I work with leaders stepping into new roles and they feel like they need to be everything to everyone. They feel like they need to tackle everything at once, and the result is stress and burnout and a sense of constantly playing catch up. But when they take a step back and they define their key objectives, then everything kind of changes. They focus on high impact actions, they are able to communicate what they want and their expectations much more clearly and they make meaningful progress. Instead of spinning their wheels, because they're not distracted, they're focused on what truly matters to move the needle. So how do you do? This Sounds good, right. How do you do it? Well, I'm so glad you asked we're going to talk about that next how to gain more clarity in your life and in your career, in your leadership.
Speaker 1:Clarity isn't something that you sit around waiting for. It's something you create. If you're feeling stuck or uncertain, there are steps that you can take to get clear on what matters the most. And let's go through some of those steps, because the first place you want to start is with self-reflection. Man, as a population, as high performing professionals, sometimes we are so uncomfortable sitting alone by ourselves in a room with nothing going on, but you need that time set aside to ask yourself some big questions and reflect what do I truly want in my career? You know, if you feel like that's too big of a question, then start with what you don't want in your career and then flip it to the positive. Consider what are my top values around your career and your life and are you honoring are my top values around your career and your life and are you honoring do you know them and are you honoring them? You know what drains my energy, what excites me.
Speaker 1:Being able to think about this, uh, allows you to get clarity on what could be next, and writing things down helps getting it out, so that you can see the patterns on a piece of paper or in a word doc or something like that. Sometimes it is talking your thoughts through with someone you trust. Maybe it's a trusted colleague, maybe you've got a mentor. If you don't, that would be a really good idea. Maybe it's a coach, a leadership coach or a career coach who can help bring in new perspective.
Speaker 1:Next, you know, get specific about your goals. Vague goals create vague results. So, instead of saying I want to be successful, what does that mean? You got to name it, to claim it. Define what success looks like for you, because your definition is different than somebody else's. Is it success for you leading a team, um? Is it success for you leading a team you know, um? Is it starting your own business? Is it creating better work life harmony. I hate balance, because balance implies that everything is equal Um and it's not uh.
Speaker 1:The more specific you are, the clearer your next steps become, and it also helps to seek outside perspectives. You know we all have blind spots and sometimes we are entirely too close to a situation to be able to see it clearly. Who do you trust as far as your colleagues? Do you have a mentor? Is there a coach? Is there someone that is external to you that can offer their insights, somebody who can challenge your assumptions, somebody who's already done it or is working on it, and they can share their expertise and some of the things that worked for them? So find outside perspectives.
Speaker 1:Another way to gain clarity is by simplifying and eliminating distractions. You know, a lot of times we fall into that trap of comparison and we see somebody doing something and it's like, oh, I need to do that. And see somebody doing something and it's like, oh, I need to do that. And we see somebody else and it's like, oh, that's a good idea, I need to do that too, but that can be very distracting. So take a look at where your time and your energy are going during the day, personally and professionally. Are there commitments that you've taken on out of obligation rather than intention or joy? Are you filling your calendar with things that don't move you forward? Are you honest answer here, setting boundaries and focusing on what truly matters, because that can make an immediate difference, and then finally take action, even if you don't feel 100% ready?
Speaker 1:Clarity isn't something that magically appears after enough thinking. More often than not, it comes from doing. If you're unsure about a career move, then take a small step schedule a conversation, shadow someone, start a side project, sign up for a class. You know action creates momentum and momentum builds confidence. So, making clarity a habit for you in your professional life, for your professional growth, it isn't a one-time thing, it's a practice. This is something that you get into and you stay there. It's not a one and done.
Speaker 1:So one way to keep it front and center is through regular reflection. You have to look back to go forward. Spend 15 minutes at the start or the end of each week asking yourself what's working, what's not, where am I uncertain and I need more clarity. It also helps to surround yourself with people who are clear in their careers, somebody who can give you clarity. So, whether you know again, it's through mentorship or networking or professional groups, trade associations. Being around people who have a strong sense of direction can be incredibly clarifying and motivating. And don't forget the power of continuous learning. Whether it's leadership training, mindset coaching, skill building, investing in yourself is something that you want to keep in front of you. It sharpens your vision for what's next. It helps put you in the right place.
Speaker 1:So what are your next steps? Well, get clear and take action. If you're ready to get more clarity, here's a challenge Within the next 48 hours that's two days set aside 30 minutes for self reflection. Identify in this session one area of your professional life where you feel maybe a little uncertain. Write down your thoughts underneath that. Okay, why are you uncertain? What is it you might want to move toward, and then take a stab at defining a specific goal and then, once you've done that, sketch out three action steps to move forward and start there. The feedback that you'll get from just taking that action will be a gift, because clarity isn't something that you stumble across or you find. It's something you create. So start today and watch how your confidence, your career and your leadership transforms. So take care of yourself. And here is wishing you all the clarity you deserve. Bye-bye for now.
Speaker 2:Thank you for listening to this episode of the Getting to Clarity podcast with Debbie Peterson.
Speaker 3:If you enjoyed this show, please rate and recommend it on iTunes or wherever you enjoy your podcasts.
Speaker 2:To learn more about how you can bring Debbie and her transformational clarity leadership strategies to your organization, visit DebbiePetersonSpeakscom.
