This past week, our leadership team spent several days at Harvard looking at creativity and agility. We learned that high-performing, agile organizations require a high degree of alignment, as well as a high level of autonomy.
 
In our organization, how aligned is everyone toward the goal, and how much autonomy does each person have in the conduct of her/his work? The goal, of course, is to achieve a high level of each and to be an aligned entrepreneurial organization.
 
To be highly aligned, everyone must know the why behind what we do. Understand purpose. See how my assignment contributes to the mission. Work toward priorities.
 
High autonomy, on the other hand, requires everyone knowing the why and what. Once these are understood, the how is up to individuals and teams to figure out. Decision-making is decentralized. Execution is up to work teams. Ownership of the work and accountability are also at a high level.
 
Open communication, knowledge sharing and collaboration, and touching base regularly with key groups facilitates strong alignment and autonomy.
 
When alignment and autonomy are both low, work teams may have high camaraderie, but there is confusion in what they are supposed to be doing and a lack of clarity in how to get there. Individuals and groups may see things that “those in charge” need to fix, and they may have the answers to fixing the problems. Regrettably, little is done to achieve organizational goals or work progress.
 
With high alignment but low autonomy, autocratic leadership is generally at play. Things can go really well for a while, depending upon the leader. Yet, the organization is often at risk when disruptions come.
 
In organizations with high autonomy and low alignment, people are able to pursue individual goals. It is likely, however, that the organization’s goals go largely unmet.
 
Finally, when organizations achieve high alignment and high autonomy, great things can happen! Individuals and teams know what they need to achieve and make good things happen! These places are aligned, entrepreneurial organizations.
 
How are we doing? In what ways do we need to improve our alignment? What would help you have more autonomy in your work? How can we be the best-aligned entrepreneurial organization possible? Let’s do it together!