What’s your level of alignment?
Corina Roobeck
High performing teams need high alignment and high accountability. When these are in play we find engaged creative and happy people executing on plans that deliver happy clients and stakeholders.
Whether your team is recently formed or high performing or somewhere in between, pause for a moment and reflect on the question:
What is its level of alignment right now?
And notice what assumptions you are making in your analysis. When we are in earlier stages we assume a lot. Of course we are aligned on our foundations of vision, purpose, culture, governance, strategies.
Are you really? How do you know?
How about testing it out at your next team meeting? Ask the question “What are we not aligned on?” and see what surfaces.
For example, as a cross functional leadership team are you all really aligned on your purpose and strategies? How deep does that alignment go? Do you actually know the individual purpose or motivations of your team members for being on this team? Do you actually know how the individual functional objectives will either contribute to or impede your overall success?
An alignment challenge: Global vs Local
If your answer is “Yes, we have high levels of alignment” then what about global versus local? Notice how your body responds to the question. Stress up or a positive reinforcement. Does “yes, of course” actually mean “not all the time” or “global do not understand…” or “we do our own thing anyway…”?
I’d love to hear your version of how you go about this conversation.
When we understand where each of us is coming from at a deeper level, what our motivations are, our why and the values we hold most dear, we can build a much stronger, more effective and more pleasant team experience for all. One based on deep levels of alignment and shared social integrity of the culture.
If you would like to sound board a challenge or see how we can help your team spend more time together in the zone, please reach out to hello@thezone.co.
We are committed to making the world of work more human and co-creating solutions with you.