A leader in a high-performing organization embraces the need for alignment. Alignment does not just mean everyone nodding their heads in agreement. Alignment means that every person understands three important points:

• The vision and purpose for the entire organization.
• The current goals for their team to achieve the vision.
• How their activities fulfill the vision on a daily basis.

How do you get alignment? First, the tone is set at the top. A commitment to self-leadership at the top of the organization builds alignment. Next, honest communication builds alignment by nurturing conversations that get the right people into the right roles doing the right things on a daily basis.

When you have an aligned organization, you see everyone demonstrating this on a daily basis:

• Communicating clearly and effectively a compelling vision that engages everyone.
• Negotiating expectations through a well-constructed plan of action.
• Creating trust and credibility by modeling the behaviors you want to see.
• Coaxing others to speak honestly, with candor, and stay engaged in important conversations.
• Everyone putting the organization’s interest above their own self or team interests.
• Creating win/win resolutions that dissolve, not just resolve conflict.