Why Is It So Hard to Achieve True Alignment from Leadership Down to Execution Teams?
With 71% of managers misaligned on company vision, achieving true alignment is more challenging—and more critical—than ever.
You’ve invested in planning, put together execution teams, and set ambitious goals. But somehow, things still fall apart. When it comes down to it, alignment—the critical link between vision and execution—is often the Achilles’ heel of strategy. Without proper alignment, without everyone understanding and bought in, even the most innovative ideas and carefully crafted plans are at risk.
Alignment might seem like a small issue at first, but like an Achilles’ heel, it can turn into a fatal weakness over time. With misaligned teams, you might feel like you’re watching your company veer slightly off course at first, only to find yourself miles away from your original vision when it’s too late to turn back.
So, why is it so difficult for companies to achieve true alignment? Here are the key reasons:
It Starts at the Top
As a leader, you can set a clear vision for the company, but that’s only part of the equation. Imagine the frustration of discovering that 71% of your managers aren’t fully aligned with that vision. According to a Forbes article, “A Shocking Number of Leaders Are Not Aligned With Their Companies’ Visions,” this widespread misalignment is, unfortunately, a reality. The article references Leadership IQ’s report, The State of Leadership Development in 2020, which surveyed over 21,000 employees and found this alarming gap in alignment.
Source: The State Of Leadership Development In 2020 Leadership IQ
This lack of alignment can have devastating effects. Without full buy-in from leaders at every level, even the most innovative strategies don’t stand a chance. If alignment isn’t achieved at the leadership level, a company’s vision—no matter how strong—faces an uphill battle, with growth and innovation stalling as ideas struggle to reach the teams tasked with bringing them to life.
Employees Think They’re Aligned—but They Aren’t
You’ve invested in costly strategy sessions, spent hours discussing and planning, held town halls, or even flown the entire company in to meet face-to-face. Everyone, including the leaders presenting the strategy, leaves feeling united and ready to tackle the goals ahead. But here’s the reality: while your teams may feel aligned, they often aren’t. How many do you think are truly aligned?
When I ask this, the answer is often a laugh, followed by a low estimate—usually around 20%. Surprisingly, a study published in the Harvard Business Review found that 82% of employees believe there is strategic alignment within their organization. Remarkable, right? But here’s the catch: only 23% could actually explain what the company’s strategy is.
This disconnect reveals the gap between perception and reality. Leaders are often biased to believe their alignment efforts are effective, but this study underscores just how challenging it is to achieve genuine alignment. Without a clear understanding of the company’s goals, this misalignment creates friction and confusion—leading to wasted time and efforts that miss the mark.
No Clear Line of Sight
To achieve true alignment, your team needs a clear line of sight that connects daily tasks with overarching company goals. Yet many organizations struggle with this. In a recent conversation with strategy and OKR expert Ian Harvey, he shared that one of the biggest unmet needs is a mechanism to connect strategies across departments. Too often, teams are left working in silos, unable to see how their work ties back to the big picture.
Imagine your frustration as a product leader, having to meet with each department head to manually gather their priorities just to align your team’s efforts. Without a unified approach, each team is essentially navigating without a map. This lack of visibility makes alignment nearly impossible, leading to missed goals, wasted effort, and a disconnect between strategic vision and daily execution.
Alignment isn’t easy to achieve, but it’s essential for success. What’s holding your organization back from true alignment?
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