Everything is About Alignment

“Alignment is everything!” - Dr. Cindy Petersen

In a recent communication I shared with a colleague the concept that everything is about alignment - from board to classroom - wall to wall if you will, alignment. The more I thought about, the more it rang true as such a critical and important concept for leading any organization. 

As leaders we all know that we set the mission and vision. We co-create it, we put it on websites, on our walls and on our business cards - but the real work hasn’t even begun at that point. As leaders the key to ensuring a successful journey of excellence is alignment.

Our work as leaders is much like that of a symphony conductor. We know and understand (and communicate) the musical score and then we lead each component of our orchestra - each section and each player - to align everything and everyone and bring out their very best and in so doing create an incredible outcome. If you’ve been in leadership long enough - you’ve experienced that sense - when everything is aligned and moving together in the right direction. 

The journey of alignment is a bit like the journey of excellence - it is ongoing and iterative. As a leader you must know and communicate (and over communicate) the vision and the key priorities and goals to move toward that vision. As you continue to message the vision, you must ensure that the work of the organization is focused on what leads you closer to the vision - and be willing to say no to opportunities that lead you from your key priorities and focus. 

One practical way to do this is to review your calendar and the calendar of your team collectively on a regular basis through this threefold lens: strategic (are we doing the right work/what is the right work?), delegation (who is the right person to be doing this work?), and key priorities (does this support growth and excellence and our key priorities?).  

How about your calendar? Does it clearly show your alignment with your organization's vision and key priorities?

[Note. This alignment in organizations for excellence is mirrored in us as individuals as well. “I believe the choice to be excellent begins with aligning your thoughts and words with the intention to require more from yourself.” - Oprah Winfrey]