Clarity offers a solution to an all too common problem, complexity. These days, the latter seems to describe everything from business to technology to our personal relationships. (It’s complicated Facebook!) And when you are mired in complexity, it seems like there is no way out.

But clarity offers a way out. And it’s nothing new. It’s only slightly younger than complexity itself. But it often gets forgotten in favor of other, less honest tools.

Clarity is a powerful concept.

It means being completely transparent and without flaw, which you may associate with water, diamonds, or telescope lenses. But there is another meaning: clarity is the state of understanding without ambiguity. Understanding. Without. Ambiguity.

People with clarity make better decisions because they understand what they are trying to accomplish, and they see connections and dependencies. They understand what happens before and after their part, and they aren’t too focused on or overwhelmed by detail. It’s the Goldilocks principle for information—just the right amount of big picture and detail. It creates focus and ensures that you’re solving the right problem.

Use these six methods alone or together, depending on the need. For instance, you can give people a high-level, context-setting overview, then create a hierarchy of your message details, and slowly trickle them out to your audiences on “right time, right message” schedule.

Clarity doesn’t require magic or a major technological investment. But it does require you to focus on communication, thinking about your audience, what they need to accomplish, and how you can best reach them. It takes time, thoughtfulness, and a willingness to keep trying until you get it right.

But, it’s worth it.