Humanness in the Ache for Guidance and Purpose

Welcome back, Humanness Heroes!

Clarity has been on my mind again. A few posts ago, we explored the joy that comes when a leader finally identifies the root of a problem and understands the necessary actions. But today, let’s shift our focus. What about those who look to a leader for clarity? What about the ones who eagerly want to contribute, grow, and succeed but are hindered because the direction, expectations, purpose, or values have not been clearly communicated?

Clarity in leadership is not a luxury; it is a responsibility. If I want my business, initiative, department, volunteer team, or club to thrive, then I must genuinely desire my people to succeed. And that means providing them with the clarity they need to excel in the roles they have been entrusted with.

Perfect clarity is like refreshing water. It brings safety, motivation, purpose, and belonging. It steadies the hands and elevates the mind. It also unveils truth. Sometimes clarity reveals to a person that they do not belong in a particular system, and that, too, is a gift. It is better to learn this early than after much frustration and heartbreak.

But when clarity is absent, the consequences can be profound. Let me illustrate this for you.

Story One: The Project Manager Who Carried a Burden Alone

Ethan was early in his career and had worked diligently to make a name for himself. So when his company entrusted him with a massive project and told him it was his moment to shine, he believed them. He wanted to embrace the challenge. He wanted to prove he could handle the job.

However, the gap between the role he was hired for and the reality he faced was vast. What he needed was guidance. Someone to sit with him, walk him through the complexities, assist him in building a plan, and provide him with the language for the challenges ahead. Instead, he was told to figure it out.

Weeks turned into months, and anxiety became a constant companion. He second-guessed every decision. He felt the weight of the project’s success on his shoulders. He feared that at any moment, someone would discover he didn’t truly know what he was doing. Not because he lacked intelligence or work ethic, but because there was no clarity. No expectations. No direction. No mentorship. No stewardship.

Eventually, he resigned. During his exit interview, he finally admitted the truth. He had lived with immense anxiety because he never understood what he was supposed to be doing, and no one ever provided guidance. The job did not fail due to a lack of talent. It failed due to a lack of clarity from those who placed him there.

This is one of the most preventable losses in any organization.

Story Two: The Volunteer Who Became Invisible

Maya joined a volunteer team at her church with an open heart and a willingness to contribute wherever needed. She showed up early. She stayed late. She offered to help in any capacity. Yet, somehow, she remained on the margins. Tasks flowed to others, responsibilities were unevenly distributed, and she often found herself standing ready but unused.

What confused her even more was the pattern she observed. Individuals who were unreliable or inconsistent seemed to be rewarded with more meaningful responsibilities. Their lack of follow-through was overlooked. Meanwhile, she, who showed up faithfully, often went unnoticed.

The emotional toll began to take hold. She wondered if she had done something wrong. If she was simply not valued. If there was anything she needed to do to prove her usefulness. She took on additional tasks, hoping it would help her be seen, but the silence persisted.

This, too, was a clarity problem. The leader had never articulated expectations, never aligned roles with strengths, never addressed unhealthy behaviors, and never communicated the team’s purpose. Without clarity, people fill in the blanks with assumptions, usually painful ones.

The turnaround came only when a new leader stepped in and chose to see what had been overlooked. They opened up conversations. They redistributed responsibilities. They clarified the expectations of the team. They called out unhealthy patterns and affirmed the people who had been faithful. It was not dramatic, but it was healing.

And for the first time, Maya finally felt like she belonged.

Why Clarity Matters So Deeply

• Clarity of expectations ensures people are not expending their energy on the wrong things or doing work that adds no value.
• Clarity of direction prevents people from drifting into busy work simply to feel useful.
• Clarity of purpose helps individuals understand how their contributions fit into the bigger picture. And once a person grasps that, phrases like “that is not my job” lose their power.
• Clarity of values grounds the behaviours of an organization. If a leader claims integrity as a value but rewards behaviours that contradict it, the value is unclear. Dare I say, it becomes untrue, an aspiration at best, but not a lived reality.

When these layers of clarity are missing, people become unstable. Anxiety rises. Resentment grows. Work becomes confusing. And sometimes, good people walk away from roles they were fully capable of excelling in.

But when clarity is present, safety rises. People find purpose. Teams move in harmony. Values become real. And humans flourish.

This is stewardship at its core, caring enough about the people who look to our leadership to give them what they need to thrive.

Let’s continue growing in humanness together.