Line of sight is the visible connection between organisational purpose, decisions, everyday work and their consequences. People have line of sight when they can understand why their work matters, how decisions affecting it are made and what their actions contribute or put at risk.
Line of sight must work in both directions. People close to the work need to see the wider purpose and constraints, while leaders need an honest view of actual conditions, emerging consequences and what their decisions demand of others.
When line of sight is broken, people may work hard and make locally sensible decisions while the organisation fragments around them. Reports can remain reassuring even as purpose, work and reality drift apart.
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