The boardroom was buzzing with excitement. After months of deep dives, strategic debates, and scenario planning, the leadership team had finally completed their three-year strategic plan. It was bold. It was ambitious. It had the potential to redefine their market position.
But as the celebratory coffee cups clinked together, one question lingered in the air:
“Do we have the alignment to actually make this happen?”
It’s a question too many leaders overlook. The harsh reality? A brilliant strategy means little if your organization isn’t aligned to execute it. In fact, research by LSA Global reveals that highly aligned companies grow revenue 58% faster and are 72% more profitable than their misaligned counterparts.
So, before you charge forward into 2025, let’s take a hard look at how aligned your organization truly is—and what you can do to ensure success.
1. Aligning Leaders on Strategic Priorities
In a recent meeting with a CEO, she sighed and said, “I thought we were all on the same page… until I heard my leaders explain our strategy differently to their teams.”
Sound familiar? Alignment isn’t a one-time event; it’s a continuous process. To bridge the gap, I recommend using a Line-of-Sight tool—a simple yet powerful way for leadership teams to regularly check how their departments are tracking against the company’s strategic priorities.
But tools alone aren’t enough. The most successful companies hold quarterly alignment discussions, where leaders openly assess whether the strategy remains clear, believable, and actionable. These conversations ensure that teams don’t just know the plan—they own it.
2. Reinforcing Core Values and Practices
Imagine this: A leadership team rolls out an ambitious growth strategy—but employees hear nothing about it after the launch. What happens next?
The day-to-day hustle takes over. Old habits persist. Momentum fades.
Alignment isn’t just about what you’re doing; it’s about how you execute. Companies that thrive in strategy execution weave their core values into every decision, meeting, and performance discussion.
Leaders should consistently ask:
- Are we fostering a culture of accountability?
- Are we being transparent about our progress and challenges?
- Are we creating space for dialogue, questions, and clarity?
When teams see strategic priorities reflected in daily actions—not just PowerPoint slides—they engage more deeply, work more collaboratively, and drive results faster.
3. Inspecting Expectations Consistently
A CEO once told me, “We rolled out a new strategy, but six months later, behaviors in the company hadn’t changed.”
That’s because what gets measured, gets managed.
Leaders must actively model, reward, and reinforce the behaviors that drive strategy execution. This means:
✅ Aligning success metrics with strategic goals
✅ Ensuring reward systems incentivize the right behaviors
✅ Routinely assessing whether teams are moving in the right direction
Without this level of intentional inspection, even the best strategies can become wishful thinking.
Are You Rowing in the Same Direction?
A well-crafted strategy is just the beginning. The real work lies in ensuring everyone in your organization is rowing in the same direction—with clarity, focus, and commitment.
If alignment is missing, now is the time to course-correct.
Because the companies that execute with precision? They’re the ones that turn bold visions into reality.
So, as you head into 2025, ask yourself: Do you have the alignment to achieve your growth strategies?
If not, let’s talk.