Alignment Check

Colleagues,
 
It has been a while since we discussed the six dimensions of organizations. Four of the six dimensions are captured in the Strategic Leadership Consulting logo:

• Purpose
• People
• Structures
• Resources

 
The six dimensions is a conceptual framework – a simplification of a complex phenomenon. The power of this framework is that it helps us frame all issues as being the result of one core problem. The problem is alignment. In a perfectly aligned organization, which does not exist, people, resources, and structures work in harmony to allow efficiency and progress towards the organizational purpose.
 
This ideal is unachievable due to the complex nature of people and organizations, but looking at things through a frame of alignment does a couple of things:

• Helps us stay focused on the purpose of the organization
• Frames problems as solvable issues
• Simplifies the sources of problems

 
In theory, there are only four permutations of any given issue:

1. The purpose is not clear
2. The structures are not aligned to the purpose
3. The resources are not aligned to the purpose
4. The people are not aligned to the purpose

 
Revisiting the issue of unproductive meetings from the last few weeks, you can see how the sunrays reflected these four permutations:

1. The purpose of the meetings was not clear.
2. The agenda was not structured in a way that supported the purpose.
3. There might not have been enough time (a resource) budgeted.
4. People weren’t sure what the purpose was and some may have allowed their own purposes to displace the organizational purpose of the meeting.

 
The end of June is a natural point of reflection for public and private organizations alike. We’ll use the six dimensions model to aid that reflection this week.
 
 Do good and be well,

Frederick