Alignment is a leadership process that revolves around communication and motivation. It occurs once people have been organised into their various roles and tasks assigned.
In this column I continue my train of thought from Strategic Direction Versus Initiative Planning. In that article I explored the notion that planning is a deductive process used by managers to achieve orderly outcomes while strategy tends to be inductive in nature and revolves around looking for relationships and patterns. My conclusion was that planning and strategy have the same relationship as management and leadership. One is not a substitute for the other and each is most effective when complementing the other. Competent planning is a vital reality check on exuberant strategy, and sound strategy gives planning the direction to bring about change.
This week I continue to look at the toolbox of a leader-manager, focussing on the people aspects. Specifically, the difference between aligning people with a strategy and organising people to carry out a plan.