episode 66 - the word is optic

This week on The Word is Leadership, we explore the word “Optic” and how it connects to the idea of vision and focus in leadership. While “visionary leadership” is often romanticised as the ability to foresee the future, this episode argues that focusing on clarity, culture, and climate - the Three Cs - can deliver far more tangible results than the often elusive notion of vision.

Our word, optic, reminds us that successful leadership requires a clear focus. Here’s how clarity, culture, and climate provide that focus:

Clarity is about setting clear goals and expectations. Unlike vision, clarity is practical and immediate. It provides a roadmap that teams can act on today.

Culture is about the unspoken rules and shared beliefs that guide behaviour in an organisation. It shapes how employees work together, make decisions, and solve problems.

If culture is “how we do things,” climate is “how it feels to work here.” While clarity and culture contribute to climate, it’s the human connections that create a sense of belonging and engagement. People work better when they feel valued and supported.

Clarity, culture, and climate work together to create an environment where people can thrive. While vision can inspire, it’s often fuzzy and difficult to operationalise. Instead of striving to predict the future, focus on leading effectively in the present by ensuring clarity of goals and expectations, a culture that embodies shared values and a climate where people feel engaged and supported.

As promised here is a link to mind friends at mindtools https://www.mindtools.com and one to our season 1 edited transcripts https://amzn.to/4hwCUwd