1. the
daily management system,
2. process
integration,
3.
performance review process.
When synchronized, these three elements communicate,
integrate and align multiple roles, departments, and functions towards common
organizational objectives.
So how do we achieve this?
Make sure everyone shares the same
definition of success.
Ask most groups in an organization to tell
you what the definition of success is for a project they are working on and you
will get wildly different answers. When I do strategic planning with
organizations this happens regularly, and the downside is that without a common
vision for the outcomes of an initiative there is little chance to succeed.
Take the time to ensure that everyone has the same understanding of the problem
to be solved, the implications of the problem and the definition of a
successful outcome. It sounds simple, but it is not easy and this alone will
increase your likelihood of productive results.
Make it simple: Using a white-board or
Kanban board where the daily, weekly, monthly definition of success is there
every time they look up is a good idea.
Help people see their role in the outcome.
Once people have a clear and complete
picture of a successful outcome, they need to understand their roles in
producing that result. Draw a clear line of sight from the responsibilities
that each individual plays on your team to the desired outcome. Translate those
overall contributions to the tactical and practical day-to-day activities for
each person, so they understand the importance of behaving strategically and in
alignment with the goals for any given objective.
Make it simple: Show how the model day,
model, week, model month of every day routines and behaviours add up to the end
result. Rather than manage outputs, manage behaviour and routine. Fix the
process, not the people.
Align your performance drivers.
In every organization there are systems that
support the achievement of objectives but those systems, if not aligned, can
become barriers to the attainment of your goals. Pay attention to things like
infrastructure, compensation, staffing, career development, and even how
cross-functional collaboration.
Make it simple: Ensure that key behaviours,
projects, outputs and outcomes feature in performance review and appraisal, but
also the daily thanks, the weekly congratulations and the end of project
celebrations.
Focus on commitment not compliance.
At the end of the day what you are driving
for is a sense of commitment to the organization and its objectives. While
motivation for most comes from within, great leaders are able to create an
environment that makes people want to go the extra mile. Help people gain a
sense of ownership of the organizations direction and goals.
Make it simple: Use rules, guides and
check-lists to aid critical thinking rather than ridged compliance. Trust
people to try and have a safety net to encourage keep them safe.
More Information
https://blog.jostle.me/blog/team-alignment/
