Alignment

alignment. It’s not a new term – I talked about it more than a decade ago in Leading Congregational Change, and leadership experts introduced it in the business arena before that. It’s a concept that is both powerful and elusive. And it’s this combination that keeps it in the forefront of many of my conversations. There are many ways to think about alignment. You can use the automotive analogy of a car that is “out of alignment.” When this happens, the front wheels are pointed at an angle rather than straight ahead. If the misalignment is minor, it can be ignored. As it worsens, the driver feels like he or she is fighting with the steering wheel while driving down a straight road. The problem with misalignment in a vehicle goes beyond driver frustration. It also causes additional wear and tear on the car. An organization is “out of alignment” when the various components are not all pulling in the same direction. These “components” are typically thought of as the departments, but they can also be systems, communications, or individual people. When organizational misalignment occurs, the cost can be very high. Resources may be wasted. Conflicts may arise. Staff members or volunteers may work on unimportant tasks or be confused about where they should focus. Frustrations may grow and talented individuals may walk away. The driving analogy breaks down at an important point. If my car is out of alignment, I can take it to a mechanic, spend a little money, and be back on the road within a day. Organizational alignment problems are more difficult to diagnose, harder to fix, and certainly take longer than a day to resolve. That’s the elusive part. When all the components are aligned – when departments, systems, communications, and people are all working together in a common direction – the organization soars. Like driving a well-aligned car down a straight highway, the driver’s hands can be taken off the wheel without fear of veering off course. What causes misalignment? Three of the most common underlying causes are:

• Lack of understanding of the vision. It’s impossible for the components to line up in a common direction if that direction isn’t clearly understood.
• Lack of skills. A new vision often requires new skills, but too many organizations simply hope that their existing staff and volunteers will be able to adapt.
• Lack of buy-in. Even if the direction is clear, some of the people may not want to go there.

I’ll explore each of these in future blogs. For now, think about one question: If you were to draw a picture of your church or ministry or non-profit organization, with all of its different components, how much alignment would you show? It’s easy to receive my blogs by email. Just sign-up on Feedburner by clicking here.]]>