Lesson 51: Alignment
If you own a car, one of the issues you might face is misalignment. This happens when the wheels are not properly positioned relative to each other and to the car’s frame. This usually happens when you hit a pothole or wear out the suspension. Several problems can occur such as uneven tire wear or poor handling. You even reduce fuel efficiency. Sure, you can still drive the car, but getting to your destination will require more effort, cost more money, and potentially put you at risk. That is why alignment is so important.
As the newly appointed president of the African American MBA Association (AAMBAA) at Booth, I understand that leadership alignment is similar to car alignment in that it poses risks if left unattended. Our leadership team consists of 6 people, and we each have a different and important responsibility. The leadership team’s “wheels” need to work together in the same direction even if we have different roles. We have to be proactive about getting and remaining aligned as a team. This will help our community reach our goals more effectively.
AAMBAA has been my core source of support and community at Booth, so this experience will provide the opportunity to serve and develop as a leader as I continue to pursue Entrepreneurship Through Acquisition. When I acquire a business, I will be stepping into an existing organization with their own way of doing things. I will need to check the alignment of different roles, like checking the alignment on a car. Write every detail about the joints of an organization. Confirm how a team sees their job. Monitor how decisions get made at every level. Otherwise, we will soon face costly repairs as the new owner (me) grows into the position as operator.
As I learn the business, it reveals where the “wheels” are misaligned, causing unnecessary effort, money and risks for the business and its employees. Amy Webb writes in her article, “Bringing True Strategic Foresight Back to Business” that strategic foresight is “a disciplined and systematic approach to identify where to play, how to win in the future, and how to ensure organizational resiliency in the face of unforeseen disruption.” This systematic approach, Amy explains, is maintenance for the leadership team of a business. Strategic foresight combines the urgency of having a strategy today with the importance of having foresight for tomorrow. Team alignment steers the organization in the right direction.
My vision is to leverage my influence as a Black business leader to pursue economic justice. This vision is the direction I want to go in and I need a team aligned with this vision. One of the steps I have taken has been recruiting a Business Acquisition Advisory Circle. This is a small group of advisors who receive regular updates about my search and meet with me about my goal of acquiring a business. We share this vision for Nuance Partners LLC, and it requires regular maintenance to remain aligned as a team.
This is Lesson 51: Alignment. Next week is Lesson 52: Nuance.
