Performance is a Puzzle
It is a complex challenge of finding, training and retaining the right individuals, creating quality high performance teams and providing a high performance environment which gives opportunity to people and teams to perform to their full potential.
However, ALIGNMENT is the glue that keeps the performance puzzle together.
ALIGNMENT is the ability of the organisation to have people, teams and the environment working together towards common goals.
There are four key elements in an ALIGNMENT process:
- THE LEADERSHIP – someone has to clearly identify goals, objectives, vision – someone has to lead the change in direction AND the rate of acceleration of change.
- THE PLAN – the framework which operationalises the vision into systems, structures and processes.
- THE BUY IN – the process of getting the key stakeholder groups to buy in to the new direction, to feel real ownership of the vision and to commit to move forward at the same rate.
- THE VIGILANCE – the commitment to ensure the daily working environment continually supports and enhances the achievement of the vision and the rate of change.
I was working with an Olympic sport. The Head Coach had a clear vision about what it would take to win Olympic Gold but his vision and his views were significantly different to the “old way”.
His ideas were great. He was experienced and had strong leadership skills. He had technical credibility and respect as a coach.
What he lacked was the ability to engage the athletes, the other coaches, the sports science team, the Board and the Membership to buy in to his vision and become aligned to the same direction.
Ultimately his plan failed – not because of any technical limitation or lack of effort – but for his lack of ability to secure alignment from the other stakeholders.
ALIGNMENT GAP – An important concept
Look at this diagram:
Note the gap between the CEO and the Board. This is called the G.A.P. – THE GAP IN ALIGNMENT POTENTIAL.
The greater the GAP – that is the gap between the vision of the person / people leading the change process and the performance of the other stakeholders, the less likely it is that the change will occur or can be sustained.
CEOs and Senior Managers will often spend a lot of time and money coming up with new ideas and new directions but fail to achieve success because of a lack of ability to “sell” the new ideas and directions to the key people in the organisation.
Alignment is critical for organisations to realise their full potential: but just as important is decreasing the G.A.P.
Money, resources, quality staff, planning, IT, equipment – all these are important elements in the achievement of success but without alignment the organisation never achieves its potential.
We work with people, teams and organisations to develop sustainable performance improvement through our unique, individualised performance enhancement process.
Experience the MOREGOLD difference.
Wayne Goldsmith