Organizational Alignment
By Sara Bauer
How well are you set up to succeed? The benefits of alignment are real.
Business Week recently reported that companies with clearly communicated mission and vision statements, which are aligned to company goals and objectives, perform better than companies with no mission or vision statement and/or no aligned goals. In fact, these companies can experience a return of up to 30% higher on financial measures than those without.
Here is how you can set yourself up for similar success and promote organizational effectiveness in your company.
A Mission Statement clearly defines who you are as an organization, what you do, and what your company stands for. It identifies what your company is passionate about and it outlines why you and your employees work so hard doing what you do. Often a Mission Statement reminds you of why the company was started and the ideals it was founded on. Your mission statement acts as the base point for the overall company and should be widely communicated, and often. It grounds you – and ultimately keeps you and your employees focused on your company’s true “mission” and brand.
To compliment your Mission Statement, many companies develop and communicate a Vision Statement for their business. While the mission is the core of who you are and what you do, the vision focuses on where you are going and how you will get there. Vision statements are often 3-5 year strategies communicated to the organization and are re-evaluated as you reach your stated business goals.
Annual objectives and goal setting are key elements to organizational effectiveness and should tie directly to the mission and vision statements of a company. Identifying an overall annual company strategy is important for focus and cohesiveness within the company. The annual company strategy can be broken down into tangible goals and objectives for each department.
It is important that each employee understand their part in the success of departmental goals. Management should set the tone and the pace for each fiscal year and very clearly identify to each and every employee what their role is and how their work supports the overall strategy. This framework could then tie into performance appraisals.
For new employees, understanding the broader picture of the company and their department is very important and this should be included in their orientation.
As we kick off 2018, take time to reflect on your own company’s Mission and Vision Statements. How is your mission statement communicated to your teams? Is it printed on the walls of your company and shared frequently as the basis of all you do, or is it simply written as an introduction in your handbook?
As you set new goals and objectives for the coming year, ensure that your Mission statement is at the core of those decisions. The company mission and vision statements should be clear, communicated often, and should be exemplified in the work that you and your employees do every day. Get your company goals aligned for a strong and successful 2018!
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