As a C-suite executive or leader you know there is nothing more important than clarity.

Clarity in the story you want to tell.
Clarity in the strategy you want to execute.

When a company is just starting out, the company’s story and strategy are crystal clear. To everyone. But then two things happen. Growth. Change.

As a company grows — the organization becomes more complex. More employees, organizational silos, products, customers, partners, etc.

As time passes — changes take place in the business, market, competitive environment, customer requirements, etc.

Growth and change negatively impact clarity. And that is a problem, because clarity is the cornerstone of every high-performing organization. Without a clear understanding of your company’s story and strategy — your organization will not perform at the highest level.

Below is an excerpt from “The Clarity Principle.” It highlights a real, passionate conversation that took place among C-suite executives and illustrates how growth and change negatively impact organizational performance:

“The lack of clarity is exhausting. We, the group in the room, are not clear on the positioning. How do we expect the rest of the company to be? … Our lack of a defined position in the market helped in the past but it will hurt us in the future. … If we don’t pull together and operate from a common strategic framework, we are done. … Our company needs a new, simple narrative.”

Has your company experienced growth? Change? Do your leaders understand the corporate story you want to tell and the strategy you need them to execute in the marketplace? What about your employees?

If you are like these and many other executives, growth and change have created confusion inside and outside of your company. And lack of clarity is costing you.

Will 2017 be the year that you and your executive team make organizational alignment a priority? The year you align leaders and employees around a unified corporate story and strategy? It should be.

Regain clarity in 2017. Your leadership team, employees, customers and partners will greatly appreciate it … and they will all perform at higher levels as a result.