This week’s focus: Now that we’re all into the swing of 2016, and our New Year’s resolutions are starting to fade away, it’s time to think about what you really need to focus on to achieve your goals this year. One of the most underrated, yet critical leadership activities is that of building organisational alignment. Without it, you will never achieve your bigger goals.
Organisations are like a pile of iron filings on a table. Each filing points in its own unique direction. Yet, if you wave a magnet over the filings, they will magically point the same way. Your job is to become that magnet, and point your people and your organisation to a shared ‘true north’.
Your ‘alignment magnet’ includes a compelling and coherent strategy, a clear set of priorities and integrated set of initiatives, shared values and beliefs, clear roles and accountabilities for everyone, carefully chosen rewards and incentives and effective performance management.
How effective is your ‘alignment magnet’ and how confident are you that the iron filings of your organisation are all pointing to the same end goal?
Off The Record: Constant Craving by k.d. lang
Maybe a great magnet pulls
All souls towards truth
Or maybe it is life itself
That feeds wisdom to its youth
© Stuart Cross 2016. All rights reserved.