One of the hallmarks of a well-aligned, high-performing company is clarity—not just at the leadership level, but throughout the entire organization. In Scaling Up, Verne Harnish emphasizes that strategy must be “clear, simple, and repeatable.” When every team member can articulate the core elements of the company’s strategic vision, the organization moves faster, aligns more easily, and makes better decisions at every level.
Rockefeller Habit #8 centers on this concept. Specifically, it asks: Can your employees clearly and consistently communicate the company’s strategic foundation? According to Harnish and the Gazelles framework, there are four essential components of strategic clarity:
1. Big Hairy Audacious Goal (BHAG)
Coined by Jim Collins and championed by Verne Harnish, the BHAG is a bold 10-to-25-year goal that unites and inspires your team. More than just a slogan, your BHAG should be tracked and made visible across the company. Whether it’s a revenue milestone, number of customers, or market dominance, progress should be shared and celebrated frequently.
2. Core Customer
Can your team describe your ideal customer in 25 words or less? If not, confusion may be costing you time, resources, and missed opportunities. Your “Core Customer” profile should go beyond demographics—it should reflect psychographics, values, and pain points. Clarity here drives everything from marketing and sales to product development and customer service.
3. Three Brand Promises
Your brand promises are what set you apart from the competition—and they must be more than just marketing copy. According to the Growth Institute, each promise should be paired with a measurable KPI, reported on weekly. This helps align your daily execution with long-term strategy.
4. Elevator Pitch
Finally, the most tactical of the four: can your team answer the question “What does your company do?” in a compelling, consistent way? A good elevator pitch is concise, jargon-free, and connects your unique value proposition to your core customer’s need.
Why It Matters
As Verne Harnish writes, “Clarity equals speed.” When employees at every level understand—and can articulate—these four strategic anchors, alignment becomes natural. Decisions are faster, customer experience is more consistent, and team confidence rises. Habit #8 isn’t just about communication—it’s about building a culture that understands where it’s going and why.
