Never Take Alignment For Granted

Have you ever been on a call or in a meeting and it became obvious that people were operating with completely different perspectives or expectations, even though they were very far down a path together? Those moments rattle me and they always beg the question, “How did we get HERE?!?”

The answer is always the same - communication.

Communication is a highly undervalued commodity. When that precious commodity is scarce, things get messy fast.

Words come so easy, but making them stick with clarity and resonance is tough.

Forget the group meeting - how about what is supposedly the simplest interaction - a conversation with just two people? Sadly, I’ve had plenty of conversations where I would have bet my life that the other person was clear on actions and next steps, only to find out later I was wrong.

It strikes me as tragic when people work to achieve an outcome with the best of intentions but their results fall flat or need to be scrapped because of a preventable communication gap.

This risk is especially present in larger organizations where strategic projects are executed in different departments with the eventual aim of combining work product into a cohesive, comprehensive solution or innovation.

Always confirm alignment. The reinforcement will serve teams well and it just may open doors to new discoveries. And if you find yourself in a moment where alignment is in question, speak up! It takes some courage, but if you’re sensing it, chances are others are too and they’ll respect your leadership and action.