Three Keys to Achieving a Result: Part 2 - Alignment
Alignment is the second key to achieving success, whether it is a personal or organizational goal. It assumes that you have a clear vision (discussed in Part 1) of exactly what you want to achieve.
What is Alignment?
What does it mean “to align”? I understand its significance in achieving goals, but I was curious about its official definition. According to Dictionary.com, the most relevant definition is “to bring into cooperation or agreement with a particular group, party, cause, etc.” Other definitions reference machine parts and train tracks—both useful metaphors—but for our purposes, let’s focus on cooperation and agreement.
Alignment in Personal Goals
If you want to achieve a personal goal, your best results will happen if you are in full body alignment. This means your beliefs, inner dialogue, external dialogue (your words), and actions must align with what you want to accomplish.
For example, if your goal is to receive a promotion, you must first believe you are worthy and that a promotion is possible. Many people sabotage their goals before even starting—they don’t truly believe the opportunity exists for them or within their company.
Once you believe it’s possible, your dialogue—both internal and external—should reflect that belief. If you frequently say things like “I’ll never get that promotion” or “Promotions only go to those with more experience,” you reinforce a negative mindset. This lack of alignment can hinder your success.
Finally, your actions must reflect someone who deserves a promotion. What type of person typically gets promoted? In my experience, it’s someone who:
Helps others
Volunteers for challenging tasks that no one else wants
Proactively discusses career aspirations with their leader
Seeks feedback
Demonstrates resilience
Maintains a positive attitude and strong work ethic
Anything less than consistently showing up as someone worthy of a promotion will delay or sabotage your goal.
Alignment in Organizational Goals
While the mechanics differ, the concept of alignment remains the same in organizations. Do leadership and key stakeholders truly believe the desired result is possible?
At every level, from top executives downward, consistency in messaging is crucial. This ensures that the intended transformation is positioned effectively across different audiences. Stakeholder assessments and engagement strategies form the foundation of successful change initiatives, as messaging must address the full spectrum of personas—from supporters to resisters.
Actions are critical. We’ve all heard the phrase “actions speak louder than words”—this holds especially true in an organization. In my experience, many change programs rely too heavily on words while failing to implement meaningful actions.
If you want to change your culture, change your meetings.
If you want your organization to be more ethical, make an example of those who are unethical.
If you want to create a culture of accountability, reward those who get shit done.
It’s not enough to just have a vision, say the words, and hope you have a result. Success requires an almost obsessive alignment of thoughts, words, and actions to bring a vision to life.