Your team is resistant to aligning with strategic objectives. How can you get them on board?
When your team resists aligning with strategic objectives, it's crucial to bridge the gap with understanding and motivation. Here's how you can encourage alignment:
What strategies have worked for you in getting your team aligned with strategic goals?
Your team is resistant to aligning with strategic objectives. How can you get them on board?
When your team resists aligning with strategic objectives, it's crucial to bridge the gap with understanding and motivation. Here's how you can encourage alignment:
What strategies have worked for you in getting your team aligned with strategic goals?
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The way to get a resistant team in line with strategic objectives is by first explaining the 'why', showing them what the goals can bring to the team and the organization. Invite their input and be transparent about concerns and show how the big picture involves their roles. Celebrate small wins to help build momentum and trust along the way.
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Haroon Khan
My book "Leaders Are Not Prophets" is available on Amazon.com & worldwide, link is below
Strategic objectives are key to the success of any organization. They are set, based on the priorities, to meet long term strategies. As a change leader, engage your team and try to understand their concerns. There might be valid reasons they are resisting such as lack of resources or competence (new technology). Openly discuss and clarify the business needs (strategies). Together identify innovative and doable actions to meet those objectives. Be available to support them during this period and allow mistakes while they are learning and getting back to the same productivity.
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Seven strategies are outlined to help align the team with the company's vision and values: communication, lead by example, setting expectations, fostering open communication, collaborating, holding regular meetings, and celebrating successes. 5 Tips on How to Create Team Alignment Communicate your purpose and strategy from the top down. Tie people's individual contributions to the overall business objectives. Encourage peer-to-peer collaboration over competition. Celebrate team wins. Use a collaborative planning process.
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My approach focuses on clarity, involvement, and continuous reinforcement. 1️⃣ Clarify the 'Why': I ensure the team understands the strategic objective’s purpose and its impact on claims efficiency, customer experience, and overall business goals. 2️⃣ Involve the Team: I actively seek input from team members on potential solutions or process improvements. When they have a voice, alignment becomes natural. 3️⃣ Reinforce Through Check-Ins: I hold regular touchpoints to review progress, address challenges, and realign focus. This builds accountability and sustained commitment.
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When my team resists aligning with strategic objectives, I focus on connecting their roles to the bigger picture by clearly explaining how their contributions drive success. Actively involving them in planning fosters ownership and reduces resistance, making them feel integral to the process. I ensure they’re supported through training, resources, and consistent communication, which helps them feel equipped and valued. This approach builds understanding and trust, turning resistance into alignment.
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It all starts with "why?". Why are they resistant? Why now? Start off by understanding this so they you know much much it is about simple reframing versus a potentially intractable issue. Also understand what has changed to mean this is showing through now. And thirdly, understand whether they are unique in this matter or whether other teams are simply resistant. Once you're clear on all that you can come up with a plan. Good luck!!
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