The Clarity Principle

Turf wars, low morale, bad politics, and misguided strategies: these are issues that claim much of a leader’s time. But this parade of dysfunctions and messy “people” problems actually points to an organization confused about its core business, torn between competing ideas about what it is and wants to be—an organization facing an identity crisis. Strategy and leadership expert Chatham Sullivan argues that when the purpose of a business becomes confused, it is the leaders’ responsibility to restore clarity, especially in the face of tough strategic choices that have political, personal, and cultural consequences for the organization. Sullivan shows leaders how to take the decisive stand that clarifies their organization’s core purpose. Featuring compelling stories of leaders who have succumbed to and successfully resolved their organizations’ identity crises, The Clarity Principle bridges the gap between leadership and strategy and demonstrates the tremendous gains to be achieved by leaders willing to make tough choices.

Introduction 1 1 Proxy Wars 17 2 The Murky Middle 43 3 Neither Fish Nor Fowl 69 4 The Shadow Side of Strategy 87 5 Taking a Stand 121 6 The Hunger for Purpose 161 Epilogue: From Insight to Action 189 Notes 199 Acknowledgments 203 About the Author 209 Index 211