| Stephen Covey has a very dramatic | | | | creating a shared view of where the organization |
| demonstration that he uses to illustrate | | | | is going, the next step is to provide a compass. |
| organizational alignment. In a large room with | | | | Too often leaders assume that their job is done |
| hundreds of people, he asks everyone to close | | | | when they have crafted a wonderfully written |
| their eyes. Next he tells everyone to raise there | | | | and inspiring vision statement, defined the desired |
| arm and point to true north. He then tells people | | | | values of the organization, and develop key goals |
| to open their eyes and look around. | | | | for the company. This is not enough. The process |
| Everyone is pointing in different directions. He then | | | | of integrating them into the organization must |
| asks the group to imagine that they had to take | | | | occur with two-way dialog and discussion. Many of |
| ten steps in the direction they were pointing. | | | | the key business goals create a need for |
| Obviously total chaos would result. He then pulls | | | | interdependence between functions and |
| out a compass and shows everyone where true | | | | departments to achieve. One of the best ways |
| north is. With a compass, everyone could take | | | | to achieve alignment at the top levels of an |
| ten steps in the same direction and the entire | | | | organization is to have shared goals and |
| large group would be going in the same direction | | | | accountability for the key strategic goals. In other |
| without bumping into each other. | | | | words, the senior leaders are judged primarily on |
| Achieving alignment is one of the most elusive | | | | the overall results of the business, not just |
| dimensions of business success. Applying Covey's | | | | individual objectives. |
| demonstration, the first step is deciding which | | | | Not only do goals and objectives have to be |
| direction do we want to go. Where is "true north" | | | | aligned, but also processes, practices, and policies |
| for our organization? This may sound simple, but | | | | need to be consistent with the direction that the |
| many organizations fail to get agreement at the | | | | company wants to go. Once the vision and |
| top levels of where true north is for the | | | | mission have been developed, they need to be |
| organization. Instead, functional or department | | | | translated into specific behaviors expected from |
| leaders create their own idea of true north. For | | | | each person in the organization. For example |
| an organization to have a chance of achieving a | | | | Milliken and Company, in order to emphasize the |
| high degree of alignment, there has to be one | | | | importance of customer service, established a |
| true north for the entire organization. The | | | | company-wide expectation that anyone would |
| definition of true north includes the vision, mission, | | | | interrupt anything they were doing to deal with a |
| and values of the organization. It also includes the | | | | customer issue. Care must be taken to make |
| key strategic objectives that support the mission | | | | sure that policies and practices are consistent with |
| and vision. | | | | the direction that the company wants to go. |
| Once the painstaking and difficult effort of | | | | |