Clarity.

It is the No. 1 most important quality a leader must possess, according to Bill Jhung, director of the Idaho Small Business Development Center.

"In this climate of uncertainty, how do we not do what is common, what everybody else is doing? It would be so easy to do what everybody else is doing. How do we do what is uncommon?" Jhung asked.

Clarity is the key to good leaders taking their teams to better futures, he said.

"I suggest clarity is what energizes, empowers us to do what is uncommon,” Jhung said. “With no clarity, we will do what everybody else is doing."

Jhung spoke Tuesday to attendees of the Post Falls Chamber of Commerce's first Connect4Lunch event of the year, held at the Red Lion Hotel Templin's on the River. He provided motivating and inspiring words for chamber members to use in their professional and personal lives through his presentation, "Uncommon Leadership in Times of Uncertainty."

Being a strong leader requires the ability to execute, Jhung said, as well as the ability to know the mission.

"Who are we, and why do we exist, what's our purpose?" he said. "Can you answer this easily, clearly, succinctly, meaningfully?"

Mission and purpose are the foundation of clarity, Jhung said.

"We can talk about Abraham Lincoln," Jhung said. "How did he provide that kind of leadership in that chaos?"

He asked attendees what their goal is for 2023.

"What is your clear win? Grow the number of best customers? Your channel? Your profit by department? What is it?" he asked. "For those of you who are not in business, what is your goal for your marriage, or your family, your children?"

Jhung said to achieve those goals, they must be broken down — by month, by week, by day, whatever it takes.

He also discussed action plans to achieve those goals without falling victim to circumstance.

"In this climate of uncertainty about economy, labor conditions, supply chain issues, competition, what is your action plan?" Jhung said.

Returning to the concept of clarity, he said it's like a bucket that springs leaks as holes are poked in it throughout the day, which can be troublesome.

"It's my job to make sure the bucket is full, every day, every week," Jhung said, adding that if the bucket is full, it can be tipped over and shared to help fill the buckets of others.

Lastly, Jhung said leaders need to withdraw and have "leadership time" every week to maintain or restore their own clarity.

"In order to gain clarity, you’ve got to step out," he said. "Think deeper, higher, wider about really, what is it you're trying to build, where you're trying to go."