Glossary

Plain-language definitions for the words we use in this guide.

These are the words we use, defined in plain language. No business degree required.

Leadership

Leadership means taking responsibility for helping people do better work.

A leader creates clarity, removes blockers, supports people, and helps the team learn.

Leadership is not just a title.

Clarity means people know what is expected.

Clear work has:

An outcome is the result we want.

A task is something we do.

An outcome is what should be true when the work is done.

Task: Make a report.
Outcome: Leaders can see blocked orders each Friday and act before delays grow.

Ownership means one person is responsible for moving the work forward.

It does not mean that person must do all the work alone.

It means that person keeps the work visible, asks for help when needed, and makes sure the next step is clear.

Accountability means we do what we agreed to do.

It also means we speak up early when we may not be able to do it.

Accountability includes:

A reporting structure answers simple questions:

Reporting is not about spying. It is about keeping work visible.

Strategy means choosing what matters most.

It also means choosing what we will not focus on right now.

A strategy that does not change priorities is only a wish list.

A system is the way work happens.

It includes:

When the same problem keeps happening, the system may need to change.

Escalation means raising an issue to the right person at the right time.

Escalation is not failure. It is a way to protect the work before the problem gets worse.

Feedback is clear information about what worked and what needs to change.

Good feedback is specific, fair, and close to the event.