Don't PRESUME.

Alignment is a process, not an action

The essence of teams and teamwork means that the people involved are united in a goal and work together to deliver it. Just sitting together or having the same manager doesn’t create team alignment. 

Ironically, most teams aren’t aligned, because of one simple factor: failure of managers to consistently reinforce goals and get their team all on the same page.
 
Managers PRESUME that their teams are aligned because they mentioned goals a few times in a team meeting.

It’s not enough. 
In my BETTER LEADERS REPORT, 39% of managers said their teams don’t know how to make their contribution to the business. That’s lack of alignment.

And only 55% of managers said they know what their teams needs to be successful.  Lack of alignment.

This is why teams are not meeting expectations: because expectations aren’t clear or reinforced enough by the manager. Lack of alignment.

Many Managers feel they have explained the goals. They haven’t.

They feel like they have been clear on roles. They haven’t.

They act like everyone on the team gets it. They don’t. 

They feel like they are repeating themselves too much. They aren’t.

Your team is no different. They need more.

Managers let their team keep going because the are no complaints about goal clarity or clear measures. Alignment is a process, not an action. It needs regular attention.

Can’t set and forget.
I was coaching a manager of a 40 strong team in a big bank. He told me that each year he sets the direction at the start of the financial year and expects his team to stay on course until he says otherwise. That was his approach to aligning the team. He felt that the team should stay on one course until instructed otherwise. And…

Some of his team left. Some quiet-quit. Some made big mistakes. Others stayed on course. They were not aligned. They needed more. Much more.

Teams need regular reminders, direction and help to focus. They get distracted. Goals need constant reinforcement, or they get missed.

Be the lighthouse
As the manager you are the lighthouse for the team. They rely on you for constant direction. Regular reminders. Without you they get distracted or lose their way. 

When managers invest in alignment their results are significantly better. Conflict is reduced. Roles are clear. Standards are embedded. Expectations are heard and met.

Reflect on these for 5 minutes today:
Q: What’s distracting your team at the moment? 
Q: What is it that tells you that they are aligned?
Q: How do you know they are all clear on the path ahead?

Refresh your approach. Start by spending two hours getting your team aligned for just $999. I promise you will see instant improvements and learn more about the team and their needs.

I love hearing from you.