…and how do you know?
Last month we took an internal view of business alignment using the Pittsburgh Steelers and a celebrity chef as examples of how everything within our business must be in sync, or aligned to produce superior results. In this month’s issue we will take an external view of business alignment. This view uses the same principles of the Business Alignment Model and applies it to your customers, suppliers, distributors and anyone else outside your business you depend on for your success.
For the moment, let’s focus on your customers. Every customer you have, whether business or consumer has a purpose and/or strategy behind their buying decisions. They look to achieve their own results by way of goals establish to succeed in whatever circumstances brought them to you. A business customer may have a more deliberate and pronounced Strategy, Structure and Goals whereas for the consumer customer these may be more implied, but still there. In other words they are looking for alignment on some level when they become your customer.
So where do you fit in their alignment process? Are you directly helping them solve their Goals or are you directly helping them achieve their Strategy and Vision? For the readers who do business with other businesses, look at your 5 largest customers and place your services and products in their business alignment process. Were you working on a project to achieve a tactical objective or was it tied to a strategic goal? Think of it as the difference between being a vendor or a strategic partner. In the consumer business, think of it as the difference between a single order and repeat business.
This idea is also valuable to you in your relationships with your own vendors and/or partners. I recall a first time meeting with a supplier to discuss a new application. The first question the CEO asked me was “What is your Vision?” I knew immediately I was speaking with a company who understood business alignment and where she wanted her company to participate in it. As I’ve outsourced parts of my business operations, I discussed my Vision with each supplier to ensure I am working with people who want my business and not just my order!
This idea of external business alignment is the basic foundation to building loyal relationships with customers, suppliers, distributors and all those who are instrumental in your success in today’s business environment.
Lead Well.
Rick Lochner
Tuesday, March 31, 2009
Thursday, March 5, 2009
We can learn much about Business Alignment from...
...the Super Bowl Champion Pittsburgh Steelers.
I am sure everyone reading this either watched or heard of this year’s Super Bowl and in particular how this year’s game went down to the wire. What likely did not get as much press describes how the Pittsburgh Steelers became the first franchise to win 6 Super Bowls since the Super Bowl format was created. While I am not inherently a Pittsburgh football fan, I believe their story is a great example of internal Business Alignment, the topic of this month’s Leadership message.
In an exclusive interview published in the 1/31/09 weekend issue of The Wall Street Journal, Bill Cowher, who coached the same Steelers to the 2006 Super Bowl title, commented on how the organization successfully works the way it does. When speaking of the challenge in building chemistry among the players due to free agency, the importance of building chemistry in management is crucial. “You have to have everyone reading from the same page. If there is division within the structure of the organization, it’ll seep down onto the field”. Considering the Steelers organization has had only 3 coaches since 1970, they have put a unique face on business alignment putting them in a unique position of stature in their industry. I would bet Scott Phelps gets credit for being part of the organization’s success as does Santonio Holmes, the 2009 Super Bowl MVP.
Internal Business Alignment occurs when all of the elements that contribute to Mission accomplishment are in sync with each other. It means the Strategy aligns with the business Vision. It means the organizational structure and business processes are systematically aligned to produce the desired results outlined in the Strategy. It means establishing, tracking and measuring the business Goals to directly achieve the Strategy and, ultimately, the Vision. Alignment, like gravity, applies universally across all types and sizes of business. Your business may denote a unique application of business alignment, but the alignment is crucial to your business success nonetheless.
To put this in another context, an accomplished chef had this to say recently when we spoke of Business Alignment. He said it reminded him of a term used in the culinary world called "Mise En Plac”, a French term meaning: 'put in place' or 'in its place'. It basically describes all the prep work done before initiating the actual cooking. It encompasses the organization of equipment and tools that are to be used for the product, washing and cutting of vegetables or “mirepoix” and the proper measurement of herbs and spices. In a business sense, every CEO and Business owner has to be the 'celebrity chef'. Every 'celebrity chef' knows what the desired result is and it's their responsibility to communicate their vision to those doing the prep work. Without clearly stating their intentions, it is difficult to motivate a group or team to work towards a common goal! That's when you start making seemingly simple mistakes like confusing sweet basil with oregano!
So no matter whether on the biggest field of sport or in famous kitchens, no matter what industry or size of business, clarity of purpose and vision leading to achieving desired results will put you at the top of your business. Are you ready for your next Super Bowl?
Lead Well.
Rick Lochner
I am sure everyone reading this either watched or heard of this year’s Super Bowl and in particular how this year’s game went down to the wire. What likely did not get as much press describes how the Pittsburgh Steelers became the first franchise to win 6 Super Bowls since the Super Bowl format was created. While I am not inherently a Pittsburgh football fan, I believe their story is a great example of internal Business Alignment, the topic of this month’s Leadership message.
In an exclusive interview published in the 1/31/09 weekend issue of The Wall Street Journal, Bill Cowher, who coached the same Steelers to the 2006 Super Bowl title, commented on how the organization successfully works the way it does. When speaking of the challenge in building chemistry among the players due to free agency, the importance of building chemistry in management is crucial. “You have to have everyone reading from the same page. If there is division within the structure of the organization, it’ll seep down onto the field”. Considering the Steelers organization has had only 3 coaches since 1970, they have put a unique face on business alignment putting them in a unique position of stature in their industry. I would bet Scott Phelps gets credit for being part of the organization’s success as does Santonio Holmes, the 2009 Super Bowl MVP.
Internal Business Alignment occurs when all of the elements that contribute to Mission accomplishment are in sync with each other. It means the Strategy aligns with the business Vision. It means the organizational structure and business processes are systematically aligned to produce the desired results outlined in the Strategy. It means establishing, tracking and measuring the business Goals to directly achieve the Strategy and, ultimately, the Vision. Alignment, like gravity, applies universally across all types and sizes of business. Your business may denote a unique application of business alignment, but the alignment is crucial to your business success nonetheless.
To put this in another context, an accomplished chef had this to say recently when we spoke of Business Alignment. He said it reminded him of a term used in the culinary world called "Mise En Plac”, a French term meaning: 'put in place' or 'in its place'. It basically describes all the prep work done before initiating the actual cooking. It encompasses the organization of equipment and tools that are to be used for the product, washing and cutting of vegetables or “mirepoix” and the proper measurement of herbs and spices. In a business sense, every CEO and Business owner has to be the 'celebrity chef'. Every 'celebrity chef' knows what the desired result is and it's their responsibility to communicate their vision to those doing the prep work. Without clearly stating their intentions, it is difficult to motivate a group or team to work towards a common goal! That's when you start making seemingly simple mistakes like confusing sweet basil with oregano!
So no matter whether on the biggest field of sport or in famous kitchens, no matter what industry or size of business, clarity of purpose and vision leading to achieving desired results will put you at the top of your business. Are you ready for your next Super Bowl?
Lead Well.
Rick Lochner
Monday, February 9, 2009
Is your Business in Alignment…
...and why is that so important? Growing up I learned how to take care of my cars myself. Tune-ups, wheels, brakes, engine timing etc. were all things that kept my cars running. And just like driving a car out of alignment decreased fuel inefficiency and added wear and tear to the vehicle, so leading a business or organization out of alignment is just as inefficient and, I could argue, irresponsible in today’s current economic environment.
So what do we mean by “Business Alignment”? Wikipedia identifies no less than 15 definitions depending on whether you are a role-playing gamer or a biochemist. To a leader in today’s business environment, it means the level of congruence between the Vision of the business to the desired results expected from day to day operations. What we know to be true is when a business achieves alignment it holds a competitive advantage through increased effectiveness and efficiencies. What is a competitive advantage worth to your business in 2009?
Business Alignment is much easier to define than execute as it occurs throughout the entire business. If you look at championship teams in any professional sport you find it is not just the players on the field who contributed to the overall success. The front office, the back office, the coaches, scouts and support staff all had a role to play and were very much aligned to the desired result – win the championship. When it comes to your business Super Bowl, is your Vision and Business Strategies in alignment with your team on (in) the field? Are you making the necessary game plan adjustments as your competitor(s) change their game plans mid game? Is your support staff recruiting capable and compatible people and training more than one deep in key positions? Finally, are the business goals robust enough for the new rules of your marketplace?
Lead Well
Rick Lochner
So what do we mean by “Business Alignment”? Wikipedia identifies no less than 15 definitions depending on whether you are a role-playing gamer or a biochemist. To a leader in today’s business environment, it means the level of congruence between the Vision of the business to the desired results expected from day to day operations. What we know to be true is when a business achieves alignment it holds a competitive advantage through increased effectiveness and efficiencies. What is a competitive advantage worth to your business in 2009?
Business Alignment is much easier to define than execute as it occurs throughout the entire business. If you look at championship teams in any professional sport you find it is not just the players on the field who contributed to the overall success. The front office, the back office, the coaches, scouts and support staff all had a role to play and were very much aligned to the desired result – win the championship. When it comes to your business Super Bowl, is your Vision and Business Strategies in alignment with your team on (in) the field? Are you making the necessary game plan adjustments as your competitor(s) change their game plans mid game? Is your support staff recruiting capable and compatible people and training more than one deep in key positions? Finally, are the business goals robust enough for the new rules of your marketplace?
Lead Well
Rick Lochner
Tuesday, January 13, 2009
Now is the Time for Action…
…Not Fear! We are all familiar with Franklin D. Roosevelt's words:
"...the only thing we have to fear is fear itself - nameless, unreasoning, unjustified terror which paralyzes needed efforts to convert retreat into advance."
He said these words at the beginning of his inaugural speech on March 4, 1933. As I read through the entire inaugural address to understand his full context, it occurred to me he was speaking about Leadership, both his and that of the citizenry of that time. Fast-forward to today and we find the message of leadership remains resolute. The National Bureau of Economic Research recently confirmed we have been in a recession since this time last year. But that is not really the headline. The real headline is whether we allow ourselves and our business to get caught up in the fear.
While I, like many others have been negatively impacted by the events of the last several months, the weakened economy, poor consumer confidence and uncertain stock markets do not affect my focus on my personal and professional Goals and Vision. A recession has no sway over my desire and ability to help organizations, individual professionals and students achieve sustained success when times are good as well as when times are tough. FDR's words were a call to action for improved results, a call to action not unlike what I am suggesting now.
* Now is the time to plan for 2009 and the future
* Now is the time for creative and inspirational thinking
* Now is the time for renewed confidence in you, your family, community and country
* Now is the time to focus on what success means for you and your business
* Now is the time to be responsible for your actions and that of your organization
* Now is the time to invest in your personal and professional brand
* Now is the time to align your business with its Vision, Mission, Strategy and Goals
* Now is the time to put Fear behind you
* Now is the time to have fun and smile more
* Now is the time for Positive Attitudes and Purposeful Actions
As we take stock of our circumstances and craft our plan of action to advance, I believe we have 2 choices. We can wait for someone to tell us what to do next, a bailout of sorts. Or we can reach out to someone (mentor, adviser, coach etc.) who can help us with our accountability to the actions necessary to achieve improved results and sustained success.
Lead Well.
Rick Lochner
"...the only thing we have to fear is fear itself - nameless, unreasoning, unjustified terror which paralyzes needed efforts to convert retreat into advance."
He said these words at the beginning of his inaugural speech on March 4, 1933. As I read through the entire inaugural address to understand his full context, it occurred to me he was speaking about Leadership, both his and that of the citizenry of that time. Fast-forward to today and we find the message of leadership remains resolute. The National Bureau of Economic Research recently confirmed we have been in a recession since this time last year. But that is not really the headline. The real headline is whether we allow ourselves and our business to get caught up in the fear.
While I, like many others have been negatively impacted by the events of the last several months, the weakened economy, poor consumer confidence and uncertain stock markets do not affect my focus on my personal and professional Goals and Vision. A recession has no sway over my desire and ability to help organizations, individual professionals and students achieve sustained success when times are good as well as when times are tough. FDR's words were a call to action for improved results, a call to action not unlike what I am suggesting now.
* Now is the time to plan for 2009 and the future
* Now is the time for creative and inspirational thinking
* Now is the time for renewed confidence in you, your family, community and country
* Now is the time to focus on what success means for you and your business
* Now is the time to be responsible for your actions and that of your organization
* Now is the time to invest in your personal and professional brand
* Now is the time to align your business with its Vision, Mission, Strategy and Goals
* Now is the time to put Fear behind you
* Now is the time to have fun and smile more
* Now is the time for Positive Attitudes and Purposeful Actions
As we take stock of our circumstances and craft our plan of action to advance, I believe we have 2 choices. We can wait for someone to tell us what to do next, a bailout of sorts. Or we can reach out to someone (mentor, adviser, coach etc.) who can help us with our accountability to the actions necessary to achieve improved results and sustained success.
Lead Well.
Rick Lochner
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