Better Alignment = Better Performance

A Tale of Two Cities

Think of your organization as a combination of two cities.  Alignment and Engagement.  Each of these cities has one major intersection, and the organizations and individuals located closest to the city centers live and thrive at a much higher rate.  Alignment is the host to all types and sizes of organizations. The center of Alignment is at the intersection of World Needs and Fulfillment.  On the road of World Needs are those tirelessly pursuing opportunities and offerings that meet the world’s wants, needs and desires.  Traveling down the road of Fulfillment, you meet those who care deeply about their people and want what’s best for them.

Engagement is a feeder town where the citizens are being prepared to live and work in Alignment.  Engagement’s city center is at the intersection of Position and Wiring.  Along the road of Position are those who are concerned about the specific role and how it points to and furthers the strategy of the organization.  The road of Wiring consists of those intentionally committed to understanding the inherent traits and abilities of the people and what makes them uniquely gifted. 

The organizations that consistently perform at high levels and do so in an environment where people thrive and want to work are located at the very center of Alignment.  Those entities understand that while pursuing new opportunities along World Needs is important, it should not be done at the expense of its most precious resource, its people.  They also want to actively ensure their people are not just being used to perform a job but are integral to the outcome and success of the organization.  They want their companies fueled by the citizens of Engagement, where roles have been intentionally thought out and people selected who are uniquely wired to perform them.

Where does your organization live? Are your employees aligned to effectively implement your business strategy? It’s worth evaluating and taking a hard look at moving closer to the center of Alignment.

So, are you having a tough time distinguishing between those who are pushing and driving versus those who are more concerned with process, procedure, and accuracy? And, who are the types of people who should hold those two groups together? You need all three.  For example, a square peg in a round hole – costing the company money and productivity.

Managing and leading others is an enormous challenge. The cost of mis-aligning or mis-managing your people is significant. Be determined and intentional about putting the right people in the right seats – you won’t regret it, and going about this effectively can become an integral part of how you lead.  It’s time to make your team and your organization unstoppable.

As a Culture Index licensee, Nathan works with owners and C-level leaders to help them understand what drives and motivates their people, as well has how to better communicate with and employ their strengths and mitigate weaknesses, with the goal of furthering the strategic objectives of the organization.

This is accomplished through a 4-step process:

• Assess. Understand WHO your current talent is, as well as those you are considering to join your organization.
• Diagnose. What are your strategic objectives? Where are the potential areas of conflict or deficiency?  Recognize the gaps that are keeping your organization from accomplishing its objectives. Proactively and intentionally hiring who you need to fill those gaps is also critical to efficient growth.
• Plan. Mobilizing the data from understanding to application is key. 
• Implement. Driving a more objective understanding and approach into the organization is a primary ingredient to change.

Nathan is passionate about helping organizations ensure that the right people are in the right seats to create synergy and the most effective team dynamics.