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Our philosophy for leadership that delivers

Clarity Code

The reality on the ground

Most projects don’t fail because people don’t care. They fail because of uncertainty. You’ve seen it before: the plan changes, the brief’s unclear, one team’s waiting on another that didn’t know it was meant to start. Meetings multiply, days slip, margins tighten. Everyone’s working hard, yet the goalposts keep moving.

In construction and engineering, confusion costs more than time. It drains energy, increases frustration, wastes talent and erodes trust.

That’s why at 150CLD, we teach leaders to chase clarity first. Not control. Not complexity. Clarity.

Because when purpose, plans and people align, delivery follows.

 

What is the Clarity Code?

The Clarity Code is our framework made up of six guiding principles that show how leaders can embed clarity in every dimension of their work: purpose, thinking, communication, action, accountability and learning.

This isn’t a set of platitudes. It’s a working mindset, a blueprint for how to lead in delivery-intensive, complex environments.

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Why it matters

  • Research shows that when teams know what is expected of them, productivity increases substantially. Employees who experience role clarity are about 53% more efficient and 27% more effective than those with role ambiguity (effectory.com)
  • Clear communication and shared understanding reduce miswork, rework and conflict, inefficiency that costs time, money and morale (lonerock.io)
  • In project environments, the difference between success and failure often hinges on whether teams have a clear path, clear roles and clear outcomes (onlinelibrary.wiley.com)
  • In short: clarity drives alignment. Alignment drives speed, quality and confidence, and this clarity comes through our structured approach to thinking through issues
The Six Principles

Below are the six pillars of the Clarity Code. Each pillar describes a facet of leadership where clarity must be present and each includes a short “why”, a story and how to apply it in practice.

Clarity of Purpose
Why: In complex delivery contexts, purpose provides the anchor. If people know only what to build but not why, then when the scope shifts, they drift.
Story: On a recent project, our client had budget and funding changes mid-way. Teams had been working with a “what” (build the bridge) but hadn’t internalised the “why” (connect the community, reduce traffic, improve safety). As the funding changed, momentum stalled. Once we re-aligned the team around the purpose statement “keeping our region moving safely and efficiently”, the workforce re-engaged and decisions became easier.
How to apply:
  • Start every project with a “why” workshop: What change will this bring? Who benefits and how?
  • Revisit purpose when things shift. Ask “Does this still matter?”
  • Ensure every team member from site operatives to senior PMs can articulate the purpose in their own words.
  • Create an emotional connection to the project helps generate buy in and people go the extra mile.
Clarity of Thinking

Why: Leaders don’t have time to micro-manage every detail. What they must do is think, frame, plan and anticipate. Without clarity in thinking, decisions are reactive, time is lost and risk grows. As Nancy Kline says, 'The Quality of what we do is governed by the quality of the thinking we do first.'

Story: A senior engineer once told me he spent more time firefighting than thinking and planning ahead. Why? Because no one had paused to ask, “If we build this in this order, what are the knock-on impacts?” Once we inserted a structured planning session that let the team map dependencies, make trade-offs and visualise the critical path, the schedule tightened and surprises reduced.

How to apply:

  • Dedicate time for high-level thinking. Map out key questions at each project stage (the 5Q Clarity Methid we teach).
  • Use tools like Time Lines, sketch planning, horizon scanning and risk mapping to create clarity before execution.
  • Encourage “stop and think” moments, not just “push ahead”.
Clarity of Communication

Why: Construction and engineering environments are noisy with thousands of moving parts, multiple teams and suppliers. If communication is unclear, alignment suffers. Clarity means everyone knows what, when, who, how and why (dx-learning.com).

Story: On one job site, the demolition, foundation and servicing teams repeatedly clashed because each assumed “storm-water relocation” meant different things. We created a simple one-pager that captured language, responsibility, interface points and escalation paths. Result: fewer delays and less rework.

How to apply:

  • Use concise, language that defines what must happen, by whom, when and why.
  • Confirm understanding. Ask teams “What will you now do differently?”
  • Document decisions and responsibilities clearly and keep them accessible to all stakeholders.
Clarity of Action

Why: A plan means nothing if action is unclear. It isn’t enough to define tasks. You must define the outcome, the standard, the owner and the timeline. Without clarity of action, execution suffers and value gets delayed (franklincovey.com).

Story: On a refurbishment project we discovered that “install the new HVAC unit” meant different things to different subs. One thought it included commissioning, another didn’t. A simple action-clarity template (task / done-when / quality check / hand-over) resolved the confusion.

How to apply:

  • For every key deliverable define what “done” looks like, the criteria or standard, who owns it and when it will be done.
  • Use visual trackers such as Kanban boards or dashboards so clarity of action is visible.
  • Review action status regularly and address stuck tasks early when clarity is lacking.
Clarity of Accountability

Why: Clarity doesn’t mean micromanagement. It means ownership. When roles, expectations and boundaries are clear, people feel empowered rather than controlled. Ambiguity in accountability breeds blame culture, frustration and inertia (hummelgrp.com).

Story: On one live project, both the Production and Commercial teams assumed the other was responsible for raising an Early Warning Notice (EWN). Neither did. The opportunity to manage the risk passed, the client relationship took a hit, and recovery became costly. When we worked with the team to clarify ownership through a RACI grid, every future change or risk had a clear trigger point and accountable owner. EWNs were raised on time and disputes dropped sharply.

How to apply:

  • Define responsibility (who does it), accountability (who signs off) and consultation (who must be informed).
  • Link accountabilities to recognition and make clarity visible.
  • Embed review cycles. Accountability isn’t a one-off, it’s ongoing.

Clarity of Learning

Why: Projects don’t end when the handover is complete. They end when lessons are captured and applied. Clarity in learning means the team knows how to reflect, capture insights and embed change. Without it, the same mistakes repeat (pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov).

Story: On one major infrastructure programme, dozens of lessons were recorded but nothing changed. There was no clarity on how to apply them next time. We introduced “quick wins” and “system change” trackers post-project with clear owners and dates. That made learning actionable.

How to apply:

  • After key milestones run After Action Reviews. ask “what went well, what didn’t, what will we do differently” sessions.
  • Assign owners and due dates for improvement actions.
  • Integrate the lessons into the 5Qs framework for future projects.

By embracing the Clarity Code...

By embracing the Clarity Code you commit to a leadership ethos that cuts through complexity and delivers certainty. You promise your team, your stakeholders and yourself that you will:

  • Lead with purpose
  • Think ahead, not just react
  • Communicate with precision
  • Act with clarity and speed
  • Hold people and yourself accountable
  • Learn, evolve and embed change