1 | Clear Criteria Cure Workplace Stress

Tyler “Ty” Marshall

Many people think stress at work is about how long your to-do list is. But is it? -Think back to the last time you felt overloaded—it probably wasn’t the number of tasks that burned you out, but the feeling that you didn’t actually know where the finish line was. Let alone how you are getting there. When you know the finish line then create a series of achievable, timebound tasks to cross it, you don't have stress you have a plan. That’s the sneaky part: when criteria for success are missing, or worse, keep moving, all that effort doesn't feel like progress. There’s a big difference between “do more” and “achieve this goal”—and the second one is what actually builds leverage. Stress balloons when the criteria aren’t set from the start, and relief begins the moment we make them clear.

Imani Rhodes

I used to think being 'easy to work with' meant nodding, saying yes, and rolling with any ask. Last year, there was this presentation deck I had to build for a client meeting—super visible, tight deadline, all that jazz. What I got was, “Just put something together that tells the story. You know what I mean.” Of course I didn’t, but I smiled, nodded, and guessed—stayed late, polished the slides, wrote notes. And the next morning? First words weren’t “thanks.” They were, “This isn’t what we need.” And it just...knocked the wind out of me. I realized then, the thing crushing me wasn’t the work. It was that the finish line was only ever in my own head. That’s when it clicked for me: clarity is the difference between confidence and endless second-guessing. From then on, I started with one ask—what are the criteria? And everything got, well, easier.

Miles Carter

I can’t tell you how many times I’ve seen that exact story play out. I started saying; "tell me what a win looks like for you when this is finished." It's just something you have to be clear on from the beginning. I don't start anything without that finish line criteria.

Tyler “Ty” Marshall

People aren’t behind because they aren’t trying. They’re doing laps around an invisible track, thinking, if I just push harder, maybe I’ll cross the finish line. But there’s no tape, right? That’s not a personal flaw. It’s just missing shared criteria. When teams know what “done” looks like, stress doesn’t vanish, but it changes. It becomes manageable. Everyone’s betting on the same outcome, and nobody feels like they’re lost before they ever get started.

Tyler “Ty” Marshall

-Now, let’s actually look at how to break out of that trap of chasing an invisible finish line. When you fix ambiguity—when the objectives and key results are clear up front—everything starts to change. The anxiety shifts from “will this be enough?” to “let’s achieve what we agreed on.” And yeah, it’s subtle, but it makes all the difference—especially when you and your manager or peers aren’t quite in sync yet.

Imani Rhodes

I’ve felt both sides: working late, only to be told, “this isn’t what we need.” Staying in anxious limbo because I’d built a mountain of work... on quicksand. Working fast but feeling that dread because I wasn’t sure if I was on the right path at all. Trying to look confident when you’re second-guessing on every slide. Or my favorite—leaving a meeting and realizing you heard ‘sprint’ and your boss heard ‘marathon.’ All those little stings? That wasn’t about grit. It was about assumptions filling the space where criteria should go.

Miles Carter

I relate. I’ve worked with teams where two smart folks both thought they nailed the assignment—only to find they were running two different races. That’s the real pain. But here’s the fix: just ask, “Can you tell me the success criteria before I start?” Don’t ask for more time. Don’t ask for step-by-steps. Just the finish line in plain language. When you repeat it back—“So, a one-pager, slides, status plus three risks and asks, by Friday?”—people feel like partners, not mind-readers. Trust picks up fast when you do that. Compensation talks, performance reviews—they all start to feel less like minefields and more like contracts you both actually agreed to.

Tyler “Ty” Marshall

Here’s where it all comes together: let’s play out a few real scenes. First, the classic. Manager says, “Can you pull together an update for leadership?” Employee—“Yep, I’ll get it done.” Fast forward, and the update’s detailed, elaborate... and totally off target. Manager says, “I needed a one-page summary.” That’s the moving target headache: the criteria were skipped, so feedback feels random. Second scene? You finally try the criteria ask: “What’s the criteria for ‘good’ here?” but it comes out like an interrogation. “Just make it solid!” they mutter. Both walk away frustrated—one wants clarity, one wants speed. But when criteria get clear—“One page, highlight the top three risks, Slide, not doc., done by three o’clock”—that tension disappears. Feedback becomes, “Yeah, this is exactly what we needed.” That moment right there? That’s the win. Align on great at the beginning, deliver great at the finish.

Miles Carter

I’ve seen this in action on big projects, and it really does work. One company I worked with made it a habit—every handoff came with a one-pager spelling out the finish line. You’d hand it to a third person, and they’d know what “done” looked like. Handoffs started going smooth, feedback wasn’t mysterious, and suddenly everyone’s confidence shot up. Actual confidence, not just pep talk vibes. Here's a quick gut check for everyone listening: when’s the last time you repeated the criteria before starting a big piece of work? If the answer is “uh... never,” you’re not alone. But it’s an easy way to shift the dynamic overnight.

Imani Rhodes

So, how do you know if it’s actually working? You notice feedback starts coming back tied to clear agreements, not just someone’s mood. You don’t hear “This isn’t what I wanted”—you hear, “This is perfect.” Less stress. More confidence. And best part? You stop bracing yourself for edits you never saw coming. Clarity, for me, is when I feel calm and confident—even on tight deadlines—because I know the criteria everyone’s seeing are the same ones I’m using.

Tyler “Ty” Marshall

So, let’s bring it all together: Being impossible to replace isn’t about being faster; it’s about being easier to rely on. Stress fades when you swap ‘start-the-task’ for ‘define-the-win’—ask for the criteria, repeat it back, build to the target you both see. The relief begins with the first clear finish line. So this week, try it on one project: ask for the criteria, work to it, watch the way trust in your team—not just your task list—starts to shift. Share your wins, your stumbles, even your ‘that was awkward but it worked’ stories. Every rep at this gets you closer to-calm.

Miles Carter

That's a wrap for our first episode, for everyone listening, if you try this, let us know how it goes. Clarity’s a lot closer than you think.

Imani Rhodes

—here’s to more trust, less stress, and seeing exactly where the finish line really is. See you all in chapter two.