Organisations contact me for a technology or digital strategy or program, and several weeks later, we always end up talking about people. Executives spend a considerable amount of time aligning their peers and stakeholders, but less time aligning their teams.
How do you align your teams?
Be the lighthouse; be consistent and visible but avoid being a know-it-all. Do not dominate every conversation like a bright light bulb, but do shine your light like a lighthouse during a storm.
Stay on the balcony; look at things from a distance, consciously step back and consider how people are. Be considerate of what is and is not working for them.
Transitions are better than transformations; encourage your organisation to think and talk about how they could constantly evolve. Decisions owned by people have a greater likelihood of success rather than things done to people.
Build vertical alignment; by talking with rather than at people. Seek to understand and appreciate their perspective and share yours, but do not ask for compliance, allow people to choose; choice is the greatest motivator.
Blog weekly; write weekly, people know when something was written for you, write it yourself. Blogs should include an industry insight, recognise an effort, and share something personal.
Look for opportunities for teams to experience something together. A shared experience does not have to be expensive. It can be an honest conversation with unknown perspectives being shared and people being better understood. Look for the ripple afterwards, when one team becomes aligned, other teams will seek it too. Make the time to be present for them.