Is Your Team Psyched Up and In Sync?

You need an adaptable team. One that is clear on its goals and direction, yet able top flex quickly to the market. A team that doesn’t need to wait for direction, but rather initiates and implements great ideas on their own.

I use the term Energized Alignment TM to describe the state of being both “psyched up and in sync.”  The model below shows a simple matrix that can help you visualize the concept.

Think about your own team, department, or entire workforce. A team with high alignment is united by a common goal and agrees on what success will look like. In the two decades that I have partnered with leaders on change initiatives, I’ve discovered that many leaders focused only on getting people “on board” with change.  In other words, they tried to use the old command and control mentality to get people aligned.  

But alignment isn’t enough. Taken to extreme, clear goals and expectations alone may equate to working on an assembly line. Sure, I know what is expected of me, but do I really care? Do I come up with innovative suggestions?  Am I able to react to a sudden change that throws the whole plan off course?

To succeed, teams and the people on them need to have enough energy to keep working toward their goals despite obstacles, setbacks, and ever-frequent changes. Again, consider your own team. How much energy do people bring to work? Are the excited about what they are working on? Do they have the opportunity to contribute new, innovative ideas? Are they invited to unleash their natural strengths and talents in service of the organization’s goals?  

Again, taken to an extreme, all energy and no alignment isn’t effective either. If you’ve worked with a team of people who are enthusiastic about their own ideas and energized about putting them into place but who lack a common focus, direction, and coordination you know it can feel a lot like herding cats. 

Being an effective leader is largely about constantly paying attention to your team’s current state of energy and alignment. It is about developing a style that builds a careful balance. It’s not possible to be perfectly in balance all the time. But it’s an ideal worth striving for.

In future posts, I’ll share some techniques for unleashing energy and accelerating alignment.  And I’d love to hear what has worked for you.

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