Clearer Moves

Leadership & Influence

Tools for presence, framing, trust-building, and leading others through decisions.

Presence & Authority

Hold the room with deliberate presence rather than volume or rank.

Speak Last
Everyone else first. I speak last.
You're leading a meeting, facilitating a decision, or in any group where your opinion carries weight.
Hold the Silence
Say it. Then stop. Let the silence do the work.
You're in a negotiation, a difficult conversation, or any moment where you've just said something that needs to land.
Enter with Intent
Decide who I'm being before I walk in. Don't leave it to chance.
You're about to enter any interaction where your presence will set the tone — team meetings, one-on-ones, presentations, difficult conversations.
Hold the Frame
Their energy doesn't set my temperature. I hold the frame.
Someone is escalating, derailing, or trying to pull you into their emotional state during a discussion.
Read the Status Transaction
What status am I playing? Is it serving the goal?
You sense a power dynamic in a conversation that's blocking productive communication — either yours or theirs.

Communication & Framing

Shape how a choice or message lands before you argue its merits.

Frame the Choice
How I present this will shape what they choose. Frame it deliberately.
You're presenting a decision to others and the way you frame it will influence which direction they lean.
Name What No One Is Saying
There's something in this room that no one is saying. Say it.
A discussion feels circular, tense, or stuck and you suspect there's an unspoken issue driving the stall.
Lead with the Story, Not the Data
One real example does more than five slides of data.
Use this when persuading, presenting, or getting buy-in from an audience that won't be moved by data alone.
Mirror, Then Lead
Match where they are first. Then move them where we need to go.
Use this when influencing someone who is resistant, emotional, or entrenched in a position.
Ask Before You Tell
What do you think? Always ask before I tell.
Someone brings you a problem and you feel the pull to immediately offer your answer.

Trust & Alignment

Build the conditions where people tell you the truth and move together.

Check Your Candour
Am I being both caring and direct? Not one without the other.
Use this before giving someone difficult feedback and you want it to land as development, not attack.
Lead with One Uncertainty
Share one real uncertainty. It builds more trust than projecting certainty.
Your team is performing agreement rather than thinking independently, or trust feels thin despite surface-level cordiality.
Check the Safety Level
If everyone agrees too easily, something important is being suppressed.
Your team produces polished agreement in meetings but surprises, missed risks, or quiet resentment keep surfacing later.
Find the First Follower
Don't convince everyone. Convert one — and let them carry it.
You're introducing a change, proposing a new direction, or championing an idea that hasn't gained traction yet.
Apply the Platinum Rule
Don't communicate the way I prefer. Communicate the way they receive.
You're communicating something important to someone whose style is different from yours.

Decision Leadership

Lead the decision process — who decides, how, and with what intent — not just the outcome.

Clarify Who Decides
Before we start — who decides? Who inputs? Who gets told?
A decision involves multiple people and it's not clear who has final authority.
Disagree, Then Commit Fully
Surface the disagreement. Make the call. Then everyone rows together.
A team decision has been debated thoroughly but consensus isn't coming and delay is becoming more costly than imperfection.
Delegate the Outcome, Not the Steps
Success looks like this. How you get there is yours.
You're assigning work to someone capable and you want them to take genuine ownership rather than just following instructions.
Communicate the Intent, Not the Plan
If the plan falls apart, will they know what I was trying to achieve?
You're launching a project, assigning a complex task, or operating in conditions where the plan is likely to change.
Speak in High-Agency Language
Replace "we should try" with "we will." Language leads action.
Your team seems hesitant, indecisive, or waiting for permission — or you notice your own language is hedged and tentative.