Organizational misalignment can also occur when an organization purposefully realigns itself to face disruption head-on. In the following two examples the organizations shifted from the middle line to the bottom line to reduce costs and structure potential layoffs. Example 1: Public Agency An economic downturn can be particularly difficult for small towns that are dependent […]

As you read these true-life stories that follow think about how you might react in the same circumstances. Think also about what problems you would have to face if these situations were to occur in your organization and how you would handle the rejection. Health Care Center As the competition for registered nurses heated up, […]

There is nothing wrong with being a bottom-line company, if it is properly aligned and clearly communicated to the employees and customers. But when management says one thing, yet does another, that organization is misaligned and fraught with opportunity for rejection. For example, the CEO proclaims that people are the firm’s most important asset, even […]

As the economy fluctuates, the burden is placed on organizations and the people they employ to respond quickly without losing momentum. The external pressure to change under adverse conditions provides the foundation for ambiguity and inconsistency — the building blocks of organizational misalignment. The study of misalignment begins by understanding that organizations are structured in […]

Acceptance is a critical factor in getting low performers to feel secure in a group assembly. Underachievers are more likely to acknowledge the views of others if they are first accepted “as is” and not pressured to agree as a condition of belonging. Bridging the gap between attitudinal and behavioral differences requires a purposeful search […]

The primary obstacles keeping people from coming to a common understanding are most often the variances that exist between their attitudes and their behaviors. For example, high performers willingly share their viewpoints and eagerly discuss ideas with others. Not so for underachievers, who are suspicious of open deliberations. They either keep quiet or don’t respond […]

Research shows that the primary reason CEO’s fail is not from a lack of skills or abilities, but rather from not being aware of information that could negatively impact their organization. Those at the top need to hear the voice of truth from those closest to the problem and are thus in the best position […]

As people are drawn together, their beliefs, values, and practices are bound to create differing opinions and attitudes. Keeping silent about these differences as though they don’t exist — adding them to the list of undiscussable issues — erects artificial barriers, stifles fruitful dialogue, fosters rejection, drives people apart, and most detrimental of all it […]

A group of community-minded physicians merged their practices to form an outpatient center for the purpose of providing exceptional care at reasonable costs. A very capable administrator and a topflight human resource manager were brought onboard to launch the start-up and oversee daily operations. They constructed a unique building with interconnected medical suites that could […]

The dysfunctional checklist presented in the previous Blog is offered as a method of revealing the nature of the dysfunction that may be present within your sphere of influence. Working with people in a dysfunctional setting is best done incrementally; one person at a time. Eventually those within your sphere of influence will understand that […]