What matters most – Alignment

If I had to describe the difference of companies, I have worked with that were great versus good… it is simply alignment. 

Similar to your car, you can feel it when something is not right.  The tires are a quick example. Wheels not aligned will create a wobble, feeling like they have friction and are fighting each other. It only takes one wheel out of sync naturally pulling to go another direction that creates the feeling and then bad wear and tear for the whole car. 

Let me bring this more into scope. Adjusting companies to make sure they can achieve their operational best, starts with the work up stream, at the top. Mission, Vision, Values and Purpose. Has the “why” of the company been captured? And does it make sense?  Sometimes the why is amazing, but the business model of how to manager supply, demand, competition, trends, pricing and cost is not there.  But let’s stay up stream and simple. Let’s assume the fundamentals are sounds and in place. Then the question is basic.  Does the leadership team and staff walk the walk. Do they make daily decisions that reflect company values? Do they communicate their thought processes? Is the alignment of these values connecting to annual strategies, strategic initiatives, KPI’s, staff performance and recognition?  Are the stakeholders identified, included and aligned?  

Companies that are in alignment have passion. You have heard phrase, “have they drank the Kool-Aid?”  Scary reference when used with cults, but a positive description of people being onboarded and feeling connected to a company’s vision. Maybe these words are describing something you think should be obvious.  But it has been my experience, that it is a challenge to achieve and keep. It takes a concerted effort to lift the words from websites and annual report and truly adopt them. If the building process was done right, it will feel natural and spoken often in elevators, interviews and company picnics. 

Keep this in mind, when trying to create improvement, expansion, M&A or any disruptional or transformational change. Changes are the trigger that exposes mis-alignment. It might feel like a soft and squishy topic (like a tire), but you will feel it when it is right. And you can feel it when it is off.