Clarity is the foundation of every great advisory conversation. If you don’t have clarity, you don’t have communication. You have words in the air.
You might have brought deep insight, meaningful data or a smart strategy, but if your client doesn’t understand what you’re saying (or can’t remember it afterward), it didn’t really matter. You can’t move anything forward!
That’s why clarity is the first dimension Navi scores. We built Navi to help accountants become powerful communicators, not just by offering feedback but by breaking down what really makes a conversation work.
So, what does real clarity look like? And why is it the first dimension we grade in every Navi call?
Clarity isn’t about dumbing it down. It’s about making information usable!
When we talk about clarity, we’re not asking you to simplify your expertise. We’re asking you to deliver it in a way your client can absorb. It should feel conversational and relevant to them specifically.
A clear conversation has a structure. You know what the purpose is, you explain it up front and you guide the client through your thinking in a way that’s easy to follow.
This means pausing long enough for things to sink in and checking in regularly. Get rid of big words, long sentences and formal language!
The goal is to connect with your client, not to impress them.
When it works, your client can tell you the point you were trying to make in their own words and be mostly right.
Seems clear enough, so what gets in the way?
These are some of the common clarity-killers I hear all the time in advisory calls:
Jumping straight to solutions before defining the problem
Talking for too long without checking in if the client’s following
Using technical terms or acronyms the client would never know
Switching topics too fast without transitions
Giving action items without clear timelines or ownership
Ending the call without summarizing what was decided
Sometimes, the breakdown comes from nerves or habit. Sometimes, it’s just the pressure to cover everything in a short period of time. Either way, when clarity slips, clients get confused and disengaged.
Suddenly, it’s impossible for you both to follow through on anything you thought had been discussed.
Clarity isn’t as simple as it sounds!
Clarity is one of the easiest dimensions to assume you’re good at, but it’s really hard to notice when it’s missing.
Navi has your back. It’s there to help you identify ways you can improve your conversations that you probably wouldn’t have realized on your own.
When Navi grades your calls on clarity, it’s looking at very specific tells:
Did you say why this call matters?
Did you organize your thoughts effectively?
Did you use plain language?
Did you assign next steps in a way the client could repeat back?
Did you check for understanding, or did you just assume it happened?
If clarity is low, Navi doesn’t just give you a score. It shows you where things got confusing. It surfaces real examples from your own call and gives you simple ways to practice getting better.
The goal isn’t perfection, it’s effective communication.
Clarity is leadership.
When you speak clearly, you’re doing more than sharing information. You’re making challenging, abstract financial concepts easier to process and act on.
That’s what clients are hiring you for!
So, next time you’re prepping for a call, try this: Before you open your data spreadsheet, take a minute to ask yourself, “What’s the purpose of this conversation?” and “How do I make that obvious from the start?”
