Leadership Alignment Process and Tool

In many ways, organizational alignment starts at the top. In this regard, it is critical that leaders are fully aligned with a shared set of values, a common purpose and mastering the key competencies that are required to meet the demands associated with strategies and external conditions.

By definition, top leaders are often strong-willed and fiercely independent personalities. They are also by nature very competitive and have strong ideas which lead them to vie for attention, resources and influence. While this in many ways creates a constructive tension, it is not uncommon for the misalignment to produce some dysfunctional and disruptive influences as well. The HRA Leadership Alignment Process is designed to highlight and minimize any key areas of misalignment.

Leadership Alignment Process

The foundation of the HRA Leadership Alignment Process begins with identifying the areas that are most critical to an organization's success and for which there are often gaps. Common gaps include areas like systemic thinking and cross-functional awareness. This is often done with input from the organizations top leaders and their leadership teams.

The first step in the process involves identifying key areas of leadership alignment. These are generally based on current gaps precluding alignment as well as those areas that are most critical to achieve strategic initiatives and strategic results.

Once leadership alignment areas have been identified, leaders are assessed using input provided through a short, customized, online tool. Input is generally obtained from a limited group of key stakeholders at the participant levels, above them and/or below them. The tool is administered on a periodic basis (e.g., quarterly or semi-annually) as a means to assess gaps and progress. Results are compared across different administrations to assure leaders know where they stand and what, if any, gaps exist.

Leadership Alignment Process Objectives

The process assures that leaders are: a) consistently mindful of the key alignment areas, b) know where they stand at any given point in time, and c) adjust their behavior accordingly. Ultimately, the Leadership Alignment Process is designed to instill a shared set of values, goals and core leadership behaviors.