The performance of any system is a function of how well the parts fit and work together— in other words, how well they are aligned.

When you join an organization, you implicitly agree to coordinate your efforts with others in pursuing shared goals. Yet it is commonplace to see individuals and even entire departments working at cross purposes with each other. Achieving good alignment is a challenge in any organization, and it increases in difficulty as the organization increases in size. It means making sure your actions fit with the directions you and your co-workers have agreed will lead to success—and it's essential if you want to achieve outstanding results.

Strategic alignment enables an organization to act as a whole in serving customers. This stands in stark contrast to most organizations where customers see departments blaming others for services glitches instead of stepping up and solving the problem. Getting everyone to buy into the value of strategic alignment is the first step in getting there. Getting there and staying there are two different things however.

Sustaining alignment requires excellent communication and the ability to sustain focus on what's important. A rapidly changing environment makes it especially difficult. It is easy to lose focus and get off course but difficult to get back on.

Another crucial dimension of sustaining alignment is a willingness to change when conditions call for it—even though your group may be functioning at a very high level on the previous course. There is no substitute for leaders at every level consistently taking the systems view and encouraging all their people to do the same.

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