Decoding Clarity

An exploration to redefine clarity so you can refine your thinking and communication.

Have you ever struggled to articulate an idea that seemed clear in your mind? Or you’ve heard a confusing message and couldn’t spot why it's unclear?

Don’t worry; you’re not alone. I’ve been in such situations more than I’d care to admit. So, I decided to unpack the art of clarity that goes beyond the typical and vague definition of “the quality of being clear and intelligible.”

Understanding Concepts: The Building Blocks of Clarity.

Clarity starts with understanding what you want to be clear about. Each word you utter is a concept that requires investigation and formation. Each sentence you form is a bundle of concepts put together to translate a specific meaning.

Clarity requires that you understand ‘what it is’ — the nature of what you are talking about.

Let’s break this down further.

1. Start with tangibles: Think of water; its clarity is derived from its transparency — the ability to see through it — perceptually. Add some dirt, and it becomes murky, unclear. The same applies to your ideas. You need to understand their essence, to ‘see through’ them — conceptually.
2. Move to simple concepts: Take ‘furniture,’ for instance. How can you see through the concept of ‘furniture’? Well, you need to know what it is made of. There is nothing in reality that you can see or touch that is called furniture. Clarity requires that you grasp its components, such as tables, chairs, sofas, lamps, etc. Understanding and communicating ‘furniture’ becomes clear once you have a mental picture of these parts and how they integrate. And hey, you wouldn’t go shopping for a sofa in a fish market, right? Clarity of the concept saves you from such blunders and removes all confusion about what ‘furniture’ stands for.
3. Progress to complex concepts: Now, this is where things get tricky. As we move up on the ladder of abstraction with words like friendship or leadership, clarity becomes more complex. Why? Because of their abstract nature, their meaning depends on many layers of concretes and concepts woven together.

Ask yourself: What do I need to know to grasp the concept of friendship?

Briefly put, you need to observe how people interact with each other, their various conducts, the words they exchange (concretes), as well as concepts like values, shared experiences, mutual support, etc. (simple and complex concepts). Also, you need to differentiate the concept of friendship from other concepts that belong to a similar category. For example, friends exchange fundamental values and connect deeper than acquaintances, yet not as intimate as lovers.

“Friends hold a mirror up to each other; through that mirror, they can see each other in ways that would not otherwise be accessible to them, and it is this mirroring that helps them improve themselves as persons.” — Aristotle.

See that? You don’t have to become a walking dictionary to achieve clarity.

Dissect the concept, differentiate it from similar ones, and use some tangible analogy that grounds it in reality: Friends are like mirrors. Aristotle’s analogy is not random — it results from a deep analysis he performed to ‘see-through’ the concept of “friendship.”

Beware Contradiction.

Contradictions are the opposite of clarity. Water cannot be transparent and obscure at the same time. Furniture cannot be anything you can sit on, such as a bike. If ‘acquaintance’ and ‘friend’ meant the same thing, we wouldn’t need two different words, would we?

By unpacking and distinguishing between concepts, we avoid contradictions and pave the way for crystal-clear understanding.

Contradictions are the archenemy of clarity. They are the number one reason why we struggle to think and communicate clearly. Imagine if you design a justice system on the principle of ‘guilty until proven innocent.’ Such a reversal would contradict the very essence of justice.

Expressing Ideas requires a solid foundation.

Clarity isn’t just about thinking clearly; it’s also about expressing your thoughts clearly. Whether you’re writing, speaking, painting, performing, or even coding, clarity of expression is vital. If you have a clear idea but struggle to put it into words, it’s a sign you need to revisit your key concepts — they are your foundation. Remember, clarity in thought leads to clarity in expression.

Redefining Clarity: A Collaborative Exploration

You’re still reading? I invite you as a co-creator to redefine, expand, and offer some practical tips on clarity. I welcome your thoughts, feedback, and even criticism to refine our understanding of clarity. Based on our journey so far, here’s my definition of clarity:

Clarity is the process of seeing-through ideas and conveying them without contradictions.

Or, to put it more succinctly:

Clarity is the art of ‘see-through’ and ‘say-true.’

Isn’t that the foundation of effective communication?

You can ‘see-through’ an idea, an argument, or a premise. You grasp what it’s made of — its components, how they connect, and whether there is any contradiction. Then you express yourself by being ‘true to reality’ (no contradictions), ‘true to yourself’ (even if you erred, you know you did the work to understand and can now correct your error), and ‘true to your audience’ (you’ve built credibility as someone who investigates meanings and cares about the receiver of your message.)

Clarity in 3D — Recap:

There’s still lots of work to be done. I’m hoping your comments can help me continue this quest. Here are the three dimensions you can practice to improve your clarity:

1. Dissect Concepts: Start by breaking down complex ideas into their constituent parts. Dissect them to see what they are made of. This will help you understand them better and communicate them effectively.
2. Detect Contradiction: Be on the lookout for contradictions in your ideas. These can be illogical, invalid, ungrounded in reality, dishonest, or even clashing with your audience and their context. When you find contradictions, refine your understanding by analyzing differences and similarities.
3. Diversify your Expression: Practice expressing ideas in different ways and forms. This will expand your communication skills and help you make new connections.

As a communication coach, I have yet to meet someone who doesn’t have great ideas. The only problem is creating that bridge between what you think and how you say it.

For years, I’ve been using this 3D framework implicitly with my clients, and every time I get a similar response: “Wow! Now I see it!”

I’m sharing it so that you can see it too.

Exploring and decoding clarity has been very rewarding, and I hope for you too. I look forward to hearing your thoughts and insights.