The Clarity Tax

We've convinced ourselves that talking is faster than writing.

It isn't.

Think about your last meeting:

"Can you clarify what we decided?"

"That's not what I understood..."

"Let me check my notes..."

Important decisions bounce through endless meetings until six people leave with six different interpretations.

What if every decision required written articulation before discussion?

It seems inefficient. A clarity tax.

But here's what actually happens:

• Three meetings become one
• Confusion becomes alignment
• Email chains become a single source of truth

Writing forces clearer thinking.

Vague ideas collapse on paper but they cross-pollinate in meetings.

The mind's brilliance meets reality in sentences.

Those reviewing the idea can:
• Process it at their own pace
• Reference specific points
• Build on solid understanding

The team gains more than decisions — it gains why those decisions were made.

New team members inherit wisdom, not just outcomes.

Written articulation becomes a filter:
• Half-baked ideas fail fast
• Strong ideas get stronger
• Everyone saves time

The clarity tax isn't a cost.

It's an investment that pays extraordinary dividends.