Alignment is a term that gets mentioned frequently these days, in an Organizational Development context. Managers, supervisors, and of course executives most likely understand the concept (though not always!)...yet how much do those who are "on the front lines" (entry level associates, shift workers, etc.) "get it"?
Johnson and Johnson has its world-famous Credo...which all employees are expected to learn, understand, and live. Many organizations have Core Values that are meant to create the same sense of purpose and expected behaviors. A large customer of ours measures EVERY significant business decision against their Core Values...and if there is a mis-match, they don't do it!
"Brutal reality" (concept from Jim Collins' Good to Great) type questions to ask ourselves as executives, managers, and supervisors in ANY organization are as follows:
-If we were to ask any team member at any level what our core purpose/mission, vision, Core Values and expected behaviors are, what kind of responses would we get?
-What about how a team member's job connects to these concepts? (e.g., "Mary, how does what you do each day connect to our mission and values?")
Having asked this question frequently, sometimes blank stares are all too common...indicating that worse than things being out of alignment...we may have created a large credibility problem...because many may see mission statements and values posters as not worth the paper they are written on.
How well does your organization align mission, values and expected behaviors?
When we align with organizational missions, values, etc., we are more successful!
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