Why Everyone Thinks They’re Aligned – Until Someone Has to “Do” Something

There is a beautiful moment in every executive offsite when someone, usually the CEO, pauses thoughtfully, gestures toward the flip chart, and says with quiet satisfaction:

“I think we’re aligned.”

Heads nod solemnly. Pens are put down. A few relieved sighs escape into the air.

Alignment, it seems, has been achieved.

Until… someone tries to do something.

That’s when the magic spell wears off.

Because “alignment” – that golden word used to imply unity, clarity, and shared purpose – is often no more than a group hallucination brought on by stale coffee and vague slides.

Three Levels of Alignment (Only One of Which Matters)

Let’s break it down:

Alignment on Vision:

Easy. Everyone agrees we want to “grow”, “transform”, or “be the best”. Vision statements are like horoscopes – broad, positive, and impossible to disagree with.

Alignment on Strategy:

Still doable. You can generally get consensus on which mountain to climb, especially if it’s far away – and no one has to start walking yet.

Alignment on Execution:

Now we’re into dangerous territory. Suddenly, people care. Why? Because actual work is involved.

And here the alignment tends to vanish – quietly, politely, and completely.

How to Detect Alignment Decay

You can spot the early symptoms:

“We agreed this would be done by IT.”

IT: “No, you agreed this would be done by us.”

“We assumed they had the budget.”

Them: “We assumed you did.”

“It was my understanding…”

Translation: “I have no idea what’s happening, but I’d like to sound helpful.”

This isn’t miscommunication.

This is the natural consequence of declaring alignment – without actually checking for it.

The Tactics Trap

True misalignment lives in the weeds:

·  Who has decision rights?

·  Who is on the hook?

·  What happens when two teams disagree?

·  What happens when you disagree?

If no one knows, then congratulations:

You are experiencing “strategic harmony” with tactical chaos.

The Cure for Misalignment?

Stop using “alignment” as a closing argument.

Start using it as an open question:

Aligned on what, exactly?

·  Down to what level?

·  And how do we know?

Because if the only thing keeping everyone aligned is a shared sense of optimism, then your delivery plan is built on warm feelings and fumes.

And when reality shows up, it won’t be asking for your vision statement.

It’ll be asking:

·  “Who’s doing this?”

·  “What do they need to do it?”

·  “Do they have enough skilled resources?”

·  “When does it need to be done by?”

·  “And what happens when it goes wrong?”

Get the picture?

Still feeling aligned?

Or are you just wallpapering over chaos with corporate confidence?

How an Independent Program Review can help

An Independent Program Review will quickly identify any areas of misalignment that could threaten the successful execution of your business-critical program – before they get the chance to wreak havoc.

To learn more, please message me on LinkedIn or call 07860 222282.

About the author

David Hilliard is founder of Mentor, specialists in strategic program execution.

You can call him on 0118 359 2444 or email david.hilliard@mentoreurope.com.