As leaders and organizations search for new solutions to old problems, individuals are being called to work together in new and different ways. Whether it is the rapid deployment of a new working group to solve a specific problem or department leaders joining to serve as a leadership team, transforming the "I" into an aligned and focused "we" is essential.
A new "we" means prioritizing collective agility over individual performance and sharing accountability when lines are ever-changing and speed is essential. It means developing the ability to anticipate and respond to stakeholders, to bring performance culture to life in the process of everyday work, to represent the interest of the whole. There is little to no time away for “team building” or “one-off programs.” Teams are built and rebuilt in the practice and service of their real work, in real time.
Before a team can be aligned and focused, they must first have a clear understanding of the work and how they will come together to deliver on the work.
Clarify the what.
Clarifying and aligning around “right work” goes a long way to eliminating waste in process and interactions. It also gives the baseline of what leadership behaviors and team agreements need to be in place to deliver that “what,” those specific results.
Align around the how.
Once aligned around the “what,” teams are ready to explore the quality of interactions, behavior, and agreements between members that will drive accomplishment of the second “what,” the results.
What mindsets and behaviors do we most need to demonstrate and model to accomplish that work?
What’s in the way of that? What is fostering that?
What mechanisms do we need to learn and adopt so that we can recast alignment on our own? To sort through conflict to get to a refreshed resolution?
How can we best apply consistent decision-making practices?
How can we adjust our individual and team communications so that we work as effectively as possible?
How do we constantly assess for progress, adjust for quality and realign “how” we work together?
Team alignment means slowing down to have focused, often challenging, conversations about how team members will partner and interact with one another, how they will actively share accountability for the success of the team, and how they will address conflicts, make decisions, and continuously improve. Those are the strongest, highest performing teams. The teams that know how to get work done quickly and efficiently.
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Corey Jamison brings more than 30 years of experience partnering with executives and teams around the globe to drive dramatic, sustainable organizational transformation. She has worked with leaders at all levels of some of the largest brands, and offers a level of experience, acumen, partnership and courage that inspires leaders and teams toward the hard work of taking it to the next level.