Try this experiment: Brush your teeth just once a week—then measure the tooth decay that occurs over the course of the year.
(That’s gross.)
You won’t conduct this experiment, of course. You already know brushing your teeth infrequently leads to decay—and pain.
Similarly, cross-functional leaders put their strategy at risk by holding periodic meetings (1x or 2x a month?) and expecting excellence in execution at the tactical levels of the organization.
(That’s gross.)
If the leaders in an organization are only brushing their teeth periodically, your 2025 strategy is already rotting.
Alignment hygiene is a daily practice. It requires everyone’s participation in every interaction of every day.
Alignment is not an event. It’s a cultural process.
We encourage you to stop strategy decay and strengthen execution by facilitating this 3-point discussion with cross-functional stakeholders:
- What symptoms appear when we have strategy decay?
- Beyond having shared goals, what steps can we routinely take to more effectively harmonize the execution of our strategies?
- As we interact with one another, what will we demonstrate to prove we’re fighting for each other’s success?
Alignment to your 2025 strategy is everyone’s responsibility. Stay healthy.
