It’s impossible to get the boat where you want it to go, with everyone rowing in different directions.

Key Takeaways:

• Team alignment is crucial for the success of a company
• With a diverse team, however, alignment can be challenging
• Leaders play an essential role in aligning a team, which is why they need to employ the right tactics and technology
• The progress of team alignment needs to be measured to gauge its success

Why is team alignment vital?

Pretty much all leaders stress the importance of getting everybody on the same page. This is because team alignment isn’t just about teamwork – it’s about collaboration. It’s about everybody working towards a shared goal. While we all may have different visions of where we’re going and how to get there, reaching our destination is tough if everyone pulls in different directions. This is why everybody in the boat has to row in the same direction.

When a team is fully aligned, this benefits an entire organization. This boosts communication, productivity, and efficiency. Alignment also helps employees build trust with one another and allows conflicts to be resolved more easily or avoided altogether. Of course, when a team has diverse perspectives, aligning everyone isn’t always easy. When we have different backgrounds and experiences, we often have our own solutions, which can challenge leaders.

The benefits of diversity in teams

Organizations shouldn’t shy away from bringing in people with different thoughts and perspectives. In fact, they should purposely hire them. Diverse teams offer numerous benefits to a company. For one thing, they enable better problem-solving. When issues can be approached from various angles – and by people with unique experiences – this allows them to be solved in a timely and healthy manner. Those unique experiences can also bring a wealth of creative and innovative solutions and a broader understanding of the marketplace. 

Challenges of aligning diverse perspectives 

As beneficial as a diverse team can be, it’s not always easy to create cohesion. If everyone sees things differently, this can make it difficult to communicate with one another. When communication is poor, this can cause a lack of understanding, which can lead to conflicts that ultimately cause bad feelings. Team members need to understand one another and be curious without being defensive or taking things personally. This enables everyone to find common ground they can build on. 

The role of leadership in promoting alignment

Once a great team has been assembled, it’s up to company leadership to get everyone working together. They can do this by creating an inclusive culture emphasizing open communication so everyone is free and encouraged to share their ideas. Leaders also shouldn’t be the first ones to speak; they should go last once everyone has had a chance. Above all, leaders must lead by example and make alignment a daily focus for themselves and the company.

Strategies for aligning diverse perspectives

There are many techniques that can help create alignment with a diverse team, including:

• Active and reflective listening
  Active listening involves paying close attention to and truly understanding what someone is saying. There is also a focus on body language and non-verbal clues to decipher the meaning behind the words. Reflective listening means repeating what someone says to show you understand them.
• Establishing common ground and objectives
  It’s much easier for people to be on the same page when everyone shares similar values and works towards the same goals. To do this, leadership needs to clearly define the vision and ensure everyone knows what it is and what their role is in achieving it.
• Team-building activities
  Creating company-wide alignment doesn’t have to be mundane. Using the right approach can be fun. With icebreaker activities and trust-building exercises, people will get to know each other better on a human level.
• Conflict resolution strategies
  Conflicts will inevitably arise in any workplace, and when they do, they need to be dealt with promptly. It’s essential to get to the heart of the issue and ensure that all involved parties get to express their opinions. Leaders must also provide regular constructive feedback to team members and recognize their achievements to show that they are appreciated.

Leveraging technology for team alignment

Thanks to technology, aligning a team is now easier than it used to be. Virtual collaboration tools – like Slack, for example – allow people to collaborate better. This type of platform is especially important with remote and hybrid work. But it shouldn’t just be all business; team members need to make time to connect and bond to get to know each other better. This allows trust to be built within a team. Technology can also be instrumental in helping team members develop and learn new skills, and training platforms provide additional opportunities for employees to bond.

Measuring the success of team alignment efforts

Many companies think their team is perfectly aligned, but they won’t know for sure without measuring success. Creating key performance indicators (KPIs) and tracking them will offer great insight into team performance. Leaders should also make a point of gathering feedback from team members to learn what’s working and what may need to be changed. 

A diverse team can be happy and high-performing, but only if everyone is in alignment. This isn’t something that can happen overnight, however. Company leaders – as well as team members – have to work to be successful. 

Are you looking to create better alignment with your diverse team? Get in touch with The Profit Recipe. We’ve helped numerous businesses in South Florida create connected and cohesive teams, and we can do the same for you.