When you are in an interpersonal relationship, clarity is key to getting the job done. Even if you and your partner have come to the conclusion that it will be best for you both to part ways, clarity will allow you to remain focused during the discussion to get the job done. Here are five tips to keep clarity in your communication.
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Be clear about the result you wish to achieve. 3. Write down all the main points you wish to bring up. Emphasis is often on important not a long list of items. 4. Make sure you are not giving people too much information, because then they may want something different and you may want to reconsider some aspects of your strategy.

Be clear about the outcome you wish to achieve. Some people want their partners to be faithful and loyal while others want them to have more flexibility and control. It's important for your strategy to include both elements. You may also want people to be aware of how flexible and loyal you are, to provide you with a reliable support system if needed. When you are clear about what kind of results you are looking for, you will be more focused in your communications with people, and they will be more focused in their communications with you.

Be clear about the role you are playing in the outcome. Some leaders prefer to work only with people within their own organization, while others are open to contracting with external organizations. The approach you take depends upon your own personal leadership style. Contracting out certain aspects of your leadership role to external organizations can free you up for other leadership efforts within the government agency or with other agencies. Contracting out also gives you the opportunity to expand your leadership style into other areas and to develop your skills and leadership qualities.

Be clear about the scope of the work plan. Often, the scope of a project includes a wide variety of activities. These activities include: negotiating with the customer, managing the contract, and developing the performance management plan. While these are standard elements for all government agencies that work with external companies, you should also be clear about whether or not the contract or work plan will apply to the government agencies that are conducting the contract, such as the FBI, DEA, and IRS. It is usually the case that the contracts will specify the scope of the work involved, but you should be clear about this scope before approaching the company.

Be clear on the return or results. An important part of a successful negotiation is being very clear on the end outcome. You should be able to define clearly what will occur once the contract is complete, including whether it is a full payment and release of the intellectual property, a payment of a partial release of the intellectual property, or some other outcome. Many government agencies struggle when the contract is initiated and then the focus changes to the cost savings associated with the use of the technology versus the expense of maintaining the external organization. If you are struggling with this area, consider hiring an outside firm to manage the contract, since the contract will already outline the expected outcome.

Be clear on the time line and deliverables. The effectiveness of any negotiation relies heavily on the ability of both parties to understand the expected end result well before they enter into the discussions with the other party. For example, if you are negotiating a technology contract with the FBI, the work plan should detail a timeline for the development of the technology, the training of your internal IT team, and the delivery of a working version to the FBI to test and evaluate. In many cases, consulting a third party vendor such as an IT management firm to help you develop your approach can eliminate time-consuming or unclear elements of your agreement with the external organization and can help you to get the results you want faster.
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Stick to your deliverables. Nothing motivates a company more than a loss of control over the outcomes of its projects. One of the most effective ways to avoid the pitfalls associated with unscheduled meetings is to stick to your deliverables to the letter. You may be tempted to change your mind in the middle of the process, but this is rarely a successful way to handle a contentious contract. The more formal and detailed your work plan is, the more likely the agency is to view your work as a complete and accurate portrayal of all aspects of the project, and the more likely they will be to take your project seriously and to work with you to reach your desired outcome.