“Alignment. In my opinion, this is the most powerful predictor of success in any organization,” says Dave Thomas, CEO of Wenger Corporation, one of our clients at Work Excellence. “Achieving alignment as a company is simple in concept, yet remarkably difficult to achieve in practice.”
We all know how crucial alignment is. You can feel the difference when teams are moving forward with clarity and unity, versus the frustration that arises from discord and confusion. Like many things in life, we know what’s best, but achieving it is often easier said than done.
Research supports this challenge. A study from MIT Sloan Management Review found that only 28% of executives and middle managers responsible for executing strategy could accurately list their company’s strategic priorities. As you move further down the hierarchy, alignment continues to decline. Another study from 451 Research reveals that while 71% of C-suite executives understand their organization’s goals, only 54% of senior leaders, 44% of middle managers, and just 39% of non-managerial staff feel the same way.
This growing misalignment often leads to missed opportunities, wasted time, and stalled progress. Reconciling where we are with where we want to be is no easy feat. Daily routines and existing processes can feel difficult to change, even when we know transformation is necessary for long-term success.
So how do we overcome this?
The Common Method for Alignment
Achieving alignment doesn’t happen overnight—it takes intentional effort and a structured approach. That’s where the Work Excellence Method comes in. With over 30 years of experience in continuous improvement, we developed a proven framework to align how you think, work, and use tools to create lasting results.
The Work Excellence Method is built on four core elements: Work Direction, Work Improvement, Work System, and Work Measurement—all anchored by a consistent Work Routine. Each element is crucial to ensuring that your teams stay aligned and move in sync toward shared goals.
1.) Work Direction – Define the Value of Your Work: This element ensures that everyone understands the “why” behind the work. It visually presents clear instructions, the importance of the task, and expected outcomes. When teams understand the purpose, they are better aligned and more motivated to achieve shared goals.
2.) Work Improvement – Advance the Value of Your Work: Here, the focus is on continuous improvement, setting clear objectives to reach the next level of performance. This element drives progress by helping teams focus on the future state, ensuring they know how to get there.
3.) Work System – Create the Value of Your Work: This is about structuring workflows and processes to optimize efficiency. A well-defined Work System presents the standard structure for tasks, ensuring clarity and consistency in execution.
4.) Work Measurement – Ensure the Value of Your Work: Measuring progress is vital for accountability. With Work Measurement, you choose the key performance indicators (KPIs) that track your progress and highlight areas needing adjustment.
5.) Work Routine – Sustain the Value of Your Work: Finally, Work Routine establishes the rhythm of reflection and adjustment. By regularly checking and adjusting work, teams can address issues quickly and sustain alignment over time.
Real-World Success: The Power of the Work Excellence Method
We’ve seen firsthand how this method transforms organizations. In our upcoming book, Getting on the Same Page, we explore the journey of a manufacturing client that successfully used the Work Excellence Method to increase their stock value from $30 to $100 per share over five years. This case study, and others like it, show the tangible impact of aligning work, strategy, and purpose.
If you’re ready to take the next step toward organizational alignment, order your copy of Getting on the Same Page. With this roadmap, you’ll gain the tools and insights necessary to align your teams, improve performance, and achieve lasting success.