Misunderstanding, frustration, inconsistency, chaos. Words that come to mind when there is a lack of alignment within a team. We’ve been in that state before, and I am not keen to go there again.
Each year, our leadership team reflects on what has gone well, what hasn’t, what we want to accomplish in the next 90 days and what needs to happen over the year ahead. With the amount of change that has occurred in our organization, the industry, and the world at large this year, it was clear to me that stability, consistency, and clarity were super important to keep us progressing.
Alignment is key.
Without a team rowing in the same direction, how can you achieve personal and organizational goals?
So, we started by going back to the basics; discussing and agreeing on what is core to us. At BRITT RADIUS we call this our Brand DNA; what makes us, US. What we hire by. How we deliver great service and a unique experience for our clients.
We also looked at the intangible things:, the smell of the place, the little nuances and details of our culture, process and systems that create a well-oiled machine. This included an element of clean up. Identifying what was complicated, unnecessary, or caused confusion. Then we cleaned it up.
We also needed to agree on our long-term objectives and vision. What are we trying to achieve, and why, and what sets us apart? From there, setting short-term, 90-day objectives becomes more meaningful and effective.
I love to have a word of the year, a theme. Something that sets the tone right out of the gate. This year our theme is FOCUS. Remaining focused on the things we know set us apart, making us and our clients successful: Client Connection, Clarity, Commitment, and a Customized Experience.
Now that the groundwork is laid, the foundation looked at, tweaked where needed, and understood by all, we move into execution. How do we translate this into our day-to-day? First step, repetition. Said once is not enough. We talk about the Brand DNA, regularly. We highlight team members by way of kudos for living core values. We talk about what we want for the future, say it, and believe it – and repeat. We share examples of how our x-factor shows up in our work, and with our clients. And, when it doesn’t.
We also recognize the importance of knowledge sharing; within our team and with our clients. We are doubling down this year on cross-training, expertise boot camps, sharing regulatory updates, hosting round tables on hot topics. The idea behind all of this is to make sure we not only understand the “how”, also the ”why” behind what we do.
It is equally important we recognize when we aren’t living up to our best, and not achieving the high standards we set for ourselves. Regular, open conversations about where we are falling short, and need to improve, is a welcomed and common practice within our team. How can we excel if we can’t address issues, big or small? None of us are perfect, so supporting each other means having very vulnerable, direct feedback conversations.
Creating alignment in a team is no small task, and it takes commitment from everyone.
Want to talk more about what we do with our team to create alignment? Curious how this translates and adds value to our clients? We are passionate about this and welcome a conversation to spark ideas. Reach out! dayna.morgan@brittradius.com