Question

Six steps towards alignment include which components?

Answer 1

Six steps towards alignment include the following components;

1. Set regular check-ins to stay aligned: Constant meetings and communication is key for any team to stay aligned. Priorities shift and leaders must be ready to adapt. But all must agree on what the priorities are or need to become. Otherwise varying directives will be coming from the top and chaos will ensue. These check-ins are one of the priorities and must be consistent. Time must be made for those accountable to share updates on progress so that all are informed on where things stand.
2. accountability, responsibility and informed on all initiatives: There are three levels to the hierarchy for achieving results. A best practice is to have one person "own" an outcome and ultimately be accountable. Others assisting in the effort should be responsible for helping drive the outcome. And other supporting team members must be regularly informed and share information on progress with one another. This should be defined, agreed upon and communicated to the rest of the organization so others know who to turn to for information.
3. Describe winning outcomes and positive impact on every one in organization: Show the picture of achieving a goal to the players of company, so their brain starts to find ways to get us there. A great exercise to go through once a team has defined their shared vision and goals is to first individually picture what winning looks like and then share those ideas with the team. What does the organization feel like? What will it be celebrating? Going through this exercise is fun and inspiring. It is interesting to see how different team members will envision the win.
4. Focus on common vision and the results that need to be achieved: When a leadership team is truly aligned on the company's vision it enables the entire organization to have something to get behind. Empowered leaders at all levels can then make decisions based on supporting the ultimate vision. Employees don't really care much about EBITDA or fluctuations in top line revenue. They need to feel connected to something bigger. They need to know that their work matters and is having a positive impact. Like all of these steps, this must start at the top. Once the vision is clearly established and regularly communicated, the team can work towards the results necessary for achieving the vision. A good practice to establish is focused communication from the leadership team about the vision. There is never too much repetition when comes discussing the vision and goals.
5. Define the culture necessary to support the "why.": Once the "why" has been defined and agreed upon, a leadership team must use this as the foundation for all decisions related to building the organizational culture. Leaders must create experiences that enforce cultural beliefs. And those beliefs must lead team members to proactively take decisive action to achieve specific results. Authenticity is critical and everyone on a senior leadership team must evangelize the culture. Every decision and communication must align with the culture and values.
6. Establish alignment on the "why" behind the organization: Organizations and their leaders spend a lot of time communicating what they do and how they do it but little to no time on WHY they exist. When I ask senior leaders this their responses often float back to a version of what they do but few have a focused response on what they really believe in, what the core values are and why their employees come to work every day. Without establishing the "why" it is difficult to build and protect a great organizational culture. A culture designed to instill specific beliefs that drive actions and ultimately results. But there must be alignment on the "why" and it should be articulated in some fashion in the company's cultural beliefs statement. If everyone isn't totally aligned, the employees will eventually receive mixed messaging and start to lose faith in the mission.