Aligning Goals Across Diverse Units

You hit every KPI. But did anything actually get better? Solving the wrong problem perfectly is still failure. So is solving the right one - without knowing how you’ll measure it. Let’s say a digital health platform launches: 🔹Sleek interface 🔹User numbers climbing 🔹Dashboards full of green ticks But two months later... 🔹Patients are still confused 🔹Clinicians are frustrated 🔹Data isn’t flowing across systems 🔹Helpdesk tickets pile up The dashboard says success... but the outcomes show otherwise. In digital health, success is often defined too narrowly: 🔸The platform went live 🔸KPIs were ticked 🔸Stakeholders celebrated But if patients still struggle, providers still burn out, and workflows remain broken - was it really a success? The truth is, different players define success differently: 🔹Patients want clarity and trust 🔹Clinicians want support in context 🔹IT wants performance 🔹Leadership wants results 🔹Funders want scale And that misalignment is where failure often begins. We don’t just need SMART (Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Relevant, and Time-bound) goals. We need SMART goals for healthcare, ones that reflect complexity, context, and care. Because what gets measured, gets built. And if we define success in terms of speed and scale, we risk delivering fast but shallow. A better way would be to define success through multiple lenses Systems Thinking 🔸What ripple effects will this change create? 🔸Will it reinforce or undermine other parts of care delivery? Design Thinking 🔸Does this make life better for the people using it? 🔸Does it work in context, not just on paper? Interoperability Thinking 🔸Will it integrate across teams and platforms - or just add noise? How does SMART Goals for healthcare looks like? ✨S – Shared & Specific Is the goal clear and aligned across patients, providers, and implementers? ✨M – Meaningful & Measurable Does it tie to real improvement - not just activity? ✨A – Aligned & Achievable Is it grounded in actual clinical workflows and capacity? ✨R – Relevant & Responsible Is it equity-conscious, ethically sound, and system-aware? ✨T – Time-bound & Tracked Is it tracked across the care journey - with feedback loops, not just endpoints? What this looks like in action: 🔹30% reduction in medication errors across 3 facilities in 6 months 🔹15% improvement in post-discharge follow-up for elderly patients using an interoperable care platform 🔹Measurable reduction in care team workload without sacrificing continuity or quality Not: 🔸Number of logins 🔸Lines of code shipped 🔸How fast we deployed When goals are shared, meaningful, and grounded in real care, 🔸Teams stay focused 🔸Results are credible 🔸Patients feel the difference Define success. Measure what matters. That’s how we make digital health actually work. What’s one thing you believe we should start measuring - but rarely do in digital health today? #HumanCenteredDesign #SystemsThinking #Interoperability

Your Technical Skills Will Only Take You So Far This might sound like heresy—especially for my fellow Warrant Officers—but here it is: Your technical skills will only take you so far. Years ago, my supervisor asked me a question that changed everything: “What type of Warrant Officer do you want to be?” In my career field, there were two clear paths: • 𝗔𝗹, 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗧𝗲𝗰𝗵𝗻𝗶𝗰𝗮𝗹 𝗗𝗲𝗽𝘁𝗵 𝗟𝗲𝗮𝗱𝗲𝗿: the go-to expert, mastering every technical detail. • 𝗝𝗼𝗵𝗻, 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗦𝗵𝗮𝗽𝗲-𝘁𝗵𝗲-𝗙𝗼𝗿𝗰𝗲 𝗟𝗲𝗮𝗱𝗲𝗿: the one who aligned teams, strategies, and big-picture goals to accomplish missions. Even back then, I knew my answer. I didn’t just want to be a technical guru. I wanted to be the leader who shaped the force—who 𝗴𝗲𝗻𝗲𝗿𝗮𝘁𝗲𝗱 𝗮𝗹𝗶𝗴𝗻𝗺𝗲𝗻t to achieve what no individual contributor could on their own. 𝗙𝗮𝘀𝘁 𝗳𝗼𝗿𝘄𝗮𝗿𝗱 𝘁𝗼 𝘁𝗼𝗱𝗮𝘆: Alignment has been my informal leader superpower. Whether influencing stakeholders, leading complex projects, or navigating high-pressure environments, the ability to align people, priorities, and processes has been the key to success. Here’s the truth: Alignment creates momentum. ✅ Priorities become clear. ✅ Stakeholders feel invested. ✅ Execution becomes seamless. But it doesn’t happen by accident. Alignment requires intentionality, strategy, and leadership beyond the technical. Want to master alignment? Here’s how: 𝟭. 𝗦𝘁𝗮𝗿𝘁 𝘄𝗶𝘁𝗵 𝘁𝗵𝗲 “𝗪𝗵𝘆.” Every mission needs clear objectives. Use tools like SMART goals or OKRs to ensure everyone understands the target. 𝟮. 𝗙𝗼𝘀𝘁𝗲𝗿 𝗢𝗽𝗲𝗻 𝗖𝗼𝗺𝗺𝘂𝗻𝗶𝗰𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻. Dialogue beats directives. Platforms like Slack or Teams help create transparency. 𝟯. 𝗨𝗻𝗱𝗲𝗿𝘀𝘁𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗬𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝗦𝘁𝗮𝗸𝗲𝗵𝗼𝗹𝗱𝗲𝗿𝘀. What drives them? Use frameworks like RACI to clarify roles and keep everyone moving in sync. 𝟰. 𝗩𝗶𝘀𝘂𝗮𝗹𝗶𝘇𝗲 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗕𝗶𝗴 𝗣𝗶𝗰𝘁𝘂𝗿𝗲. Tools like Gantt charts or Lucidcharts ensure clarity and context across the team. 𝟱. 𝗙𝗼𝗹𝗹𝗼𝘄 𝗨𝗽 𝗥𝗲𝗹𝗲𝗻𝘁𝗹𝗲𝘀𝘀𝗹𝘆. Alignment isn’t a one-and-done deal. Regular check-ins ensure momentum doesn’t falter. 𝗛𝗲𝗿𝗲’𝘀 𝘄𝗵𝘆 𝘁𝗵𝗶𝘀 𝗺𝗮𝘁𝘁𝗲𝗿𝘀 𝗺𝗼𝗿𝗲 𝘁𝗵𝗮𝗻 𝗲𝘃𝗲𝗿: In environments where formal authority is limited, your ability to generate alignment is your leadership edge. It’s the difference between scattered effort and mission success. Now, tell me—what’s your superpower as a leader? Let’s hear it in the comments. 👇🏾

Before embracing purpose-driven team culture, teams experience: → Individuals pulling in different directions → Disconnection and lack of cohesion → Meetings that feel like a chore → Struggles to meet targets I see it happen. The sheer frustration of watching a team drift despite everyone's best efforts. I know leaders feel overwhelmed by their team's lack of unity: → They set clear objectives, yet progress stalls. → They increase oversight, but creativity diminishes. → They communicate more, but true understanding is missing. But here's what I've discovered: You don't need to push harder. ↳ You need to connect deeper. You don't need more control. ↳ You need more collaboration. You don't need to set more goals. ↳ You need to share a vision. Stop trying to force alignment. ↳ Start fostering it through genuine engagement. But when you shift your approach: ↳ From assigning tasks to sharing purpose, you ignite intrinsic motivation. ↳ From managing people to empowering them, you unlock collective potential. ↳ From 'dictating' to really listening, you uncover unspoken challenges and untapped ideas. So, how do I align everyone towards a common goal? By embracing three core principles: #1  Understanding Purpose ↳ Engage your team in defining the "why" behind the work. ↳ Connect organizational goals to individual aspirations. ↳ Make the mission personal, so everyone feels invested. #2  Valuing Contributions ↳ Encourage diverse perspectives and ideas. ↳ Recognize and celebrate each person's unique strengths. ↳  Show appreciation not just for outcomes, but for effort and creativity. #3  Building Trust and Connection ↳ Create a safe space for open dialogue. ↳ Invest time in building relationships, not just processes. ↳ Be authentic and transparent, fostering trust through your actions. When you embody these principles, alignment becomes a natural outcome. ✅ Alignment isn't a directive; it's an evolving dialogue. It's cultivated through purposeful action that resonates with the human need for connection and meaning. P.S How do you align your team? Share your approach in the conversation below 👇 Let's help and support each other today! --- To every leader out there striving to create a purpose-driven team culture: You're part of something bigger. Let's amplify our impact: 1. ♻️ Together, we can create a ripple effect of positive change. 2. 🔔 + Laurie #leadership #strategy #collaboration #culture

Do you leverage Success Plans for multi-threading and maintaining momentum during holidays and vacations? Maintaining momentum in customer adoption and renewals is critical, but can be difficult during the summer when key contacts may be on vacation. One effective strategy to address this challenge is leveraging Success Plans. Here’s how you can use them to multi-thread across accounts and prevent drop-off in adoption and stalls in renewal conversations: First, lets think of Success Plans as more than just a document that's a repository for action items. They are blueprints for ensuring that we are aligned with our customers on goals, milestones, and responsibilities. They provide a clear path forward, enabling proactive engagement and ensuring no momentum is lost. Here is how I approach multi-threading with Success Plans 1) Identify Key Stakeholders Map out all relevant stakeholders within the customer’s organization. Ensure that you have primary and secondary contacts for each key project/program/milestone. 2) Align Goals and Priorities Detail top business, departmental goals, and individual stakeholder goals, ensuring they are quantified and measurable. I ladder goals down like this: -- Top business goals -- Map business goals to departmental goals -- Map these to department leader goals so now I am at the stakeholder level -- Further map these to program goals -- Map these to champion/admin/main point of contact/individual contributor goals This alignment helps in connecting with various stakeholders and understanding their individual KPIs while ensuring they connect back to top priorities and business level goals (because at the end of the day this is what will make you stay relevant and win renewals). 3) Tactical Milestones Break down the overarching goals into specific, actionable milestones. Assign ownership and set clear due dates. This ensures continuous progress even if key contacts are away. 4) Communication Plan Define a robust communication plan. Schedule regular success calls and regular health checks. Use a mix of synchronous and asynchronous methods to keep everyone informed and engaged. The steps above should be table stakes. But there's more we can do to prevent vacation and summer slow downs: - Proactive Engagement: Before the holidays and vacations starts, identify potential vacation periods for key contacts and plan accordingly. - Secondary Contacts: Ensure secondary contacts are briefed and empowered to make decisions in the absence of primary contacts. - Regular Updates: Keep communication lines open with regular updates, ensuring everyone is in the loop. Be transparent and clear in communications. Be careful to keep everyone in the loop so nobody feels alienated or that we've 'gone around' them. Flexibility: Be prepared to adjust timelines and strategies based on the availability of key stakeholders. This will keep momentum. #customersuccess #sales #gotomarket

Series #6 of 7: First Principles - Alignment and Cohesion Across Teams Did you know that 86% of executives blame a lack of collaboration for workplace failures? Imagine how much more we could achieve if we solved this problem. Silos persist because they're a natural feature of how we work. Our brains create categories and boundaries to manage complexity—it's just how we're wired. This tendency shows up in organizations where Marketing, Sales, CS, Ops, and Product each focus on their own priorities. Silos aren't inherently bad. They help manage complexity, just like factories achieve scale by dividing tasks into specialized roles. But here's what many companies miss: factories start with a clear blueprint and finish with an assembly stage where everything comes together. In an auto factory, everyone knows the final product they are working to deliver. Even if you're only making the windshield, you understand how your work fits into the bigger picture. You wouldn't change the specs of the piece you’re working on without ensuring it will fit the frame. But in organizations, not everyone has a clear vision of how their piece connects. Well-intentioned changes ripple across the system, leading to inefficiencies, mistakes, and missed opportunities. Alignment isn't a one-time fix—it’s a muscle that needs constant exercise. Leaders must keep it top of mind to build it into their organization's DNA: 📌 Share the north star vision regularly and connect every role to it. 🤝 Create shared goals that require cross-team collaboration. 🔄 Establish cross-functional forums and rotation programs. 🏆 Measure collaboration and reward behaviors that drive alignment. Most importantly, leaders must model alignment. Just like entropy increases in physical systems, silos will strengthen unless leaders continuously apply energy to break them down. Have you faced ripple effects from siloed decisions or found ways to build alignment? Share your story or a lesson learned—I’d love to hear it! #GTMAlignment #RecurringRevenue #Leadership #Teamwork #FirstPrinciples #RevenueArchitecture

One part of cross-functional alignment that gets overlooked: The power of shared metrics and accountability. When different departments are working towards the same goals and measured by the same metrics, something amazing happens. Silos break down, collaboration booms and everyone is pulling in the same direction. Here's why this is so powerful: 1. Unified goals 2. Holistic view of performance 3. Improved collaboration 4. Reduced tensions 5.  Informed Decisions Of course, implementing shared metrics requires careful planning and buy-in from leadership. It involves identifying key performance indicators that span multiple departments, aligning incentives, and developing systems to track and report on progress. But the payoff is beyond worth it. 

6 Keys to Project Alignment That Get Your Team Moving as One: Goodbye, messy delays. Hello, smooth, strategic progress. Here are the six essentials to get everyone on the same page and avoid the chaos of scattered focus. 1️⃣ Communicate Vision and Goals Clearly Project alignment starts with clarity. Make sure every team member and stakeholder understands:   - The project’s purpose and impact   - How it fits into the broader organizational strategy   - Specific objectives and success criteria   - Their role in reaching these goals 2️⃣ Plan Collaboratively Involve your team in the planning process to build buy-in from day one.   - Define goals, milestones, and timelines together   - Discuss task allocation and resources   - Anticipate risks as a team 3️⃣ Consistent Monitoring and Adjustment Alignment isn’t static; it requires regular check-ins.   - Review progress against milestones   - Identify misalignments early   - Adapt plans to stay aligned with the project’s strategic goals 4️⃣ Foster Open Communication Encourage transparency and open feedback.   - Share information, ideas, and concerns freely   - Address conflicts promptly   - Celebrate wins and learn from setbacks together 5️⃣ Use the Right Tools Technology can enhance alignment and streamline collaboration.   - Provide real-time project visibility   - Automate routine tasks and reporting   - Support data-driven decision-making 6️⃣ Build Accountability Define roles and responsibilities clearly to create a culture of accountability.   - Regularly review individual and team contributions   - Encourage ownership of tasks and outcomes   - Recognize and reward alignment with project goals Implementing these strategies will strengthen project alignment and transform your team into a cohesive, high-performing unit. Ready to supercharge your team's alignment? Let's discuss! Comment with your thoughts or share your alignment tips. Remember to like and follow for more project insights!

To survive, plan and build for the long term. It is hard to set goals for your organization and have your teams aligned. Unfortunately, not doing so will create misalignment and reduce productivity. Think about your long-term plan as a breakdown of your vision and company mission. Structure it this way: 1. Set clear goals - Ensure that everyone works towards the same outcomes. - Break down high-level objectives into specific targets for each team. - Emphasize the importance of clear, measurable, and aligned goals across your organization. 2. Build a financial plan - Set targets for revenue, budget expenses, and forecast cash flow. - Work multiple scenarios, taking into account potential risks and opportunities. 3. Track performance - Track performance through key metrics. - Regularly review them to adjust strategies as needed. - Identify the most critical metrics that align with the company's goals. Your North Star. 4. Team Alignment - Involve all your team members in the planning process to push ownership and accountability. - Keep regular communication and updates to keep everyone informed and motivated. - Ensure that the entire team is aligned with the strategic plan. 5. Review and adapt - Review the strategic plan regularly to assess progress and make necessary adjustments. - An iterative approach will allow your company to stay agile and responsive to changing market conditions. It will not slow down your velocity. It will not create bureaucracy within your organization. It will make your team feel connected, accountable, and responsible. It will make your team feel part of the decision-making process. It will increase your team's throughput. Let's connect and discuss your strategic planning.