Leadership alignment has been shown to be one of the most powerful indicators of success in the long-run in any organization. Once the executives have the same vision, express clearly and pursue the same priorities, the whole organization will go with drive and purpose. But alignment is not achieved spontaneously, but through structure, comprehensiveness and deliberate cooperation.

It is in that strategic planning facilitation comes in handy. We are the Mx5 Consulting, located in Denver, Colorado that facilitate strategic planning sessions enabling leaderships to be more certain, cohesive and focused on a common direction. However, what exactly does facilitation realign leadership? Here’s an in-depth look.

Creating a Shared Understanding of Vision and Direction

Leadership groups can easily believe that they are coherent – but when each head is questioned what the vision of the organization is or what strategic goals are the most important the responses are often different.

Facilitation of strategic planning can be used in order to eliminate this inconsistency by leading leaders through a formal discussion about the future of the organization.

Facilitators assist teams by means of guided discussions, exploring scenarios, and clarification exercises:

• Define or refine the organization’s vision

• Agree on long-term priorities

• Identify what success actually looks like

• Clarify the team’s collective purpose

The process will make sure that all leaders understand the vision in the same manner and this will provide the basis of making consistent decisions and communication throughout the organization.

Establishing Clear Strategic Goals and Priorities

Specificity is necessary in alignment. Lack of clear objectives can cause the leadership teams to end up working on things that are contrary to each other. Through strategic planning facilitation, the leaders show structure to the goal-setting process as it assists in articulating:

• Annual strategic priorities

• Department responsibilities

• Success metrics and KPIs

• Timeframes and milestones

• Potential risks and resources required

At the close of the session, leaders do not only have a list of objectives, they know how each priority drills the general vision and how their efforts will be incorporated with others.

This clarity minimizes duplication, confusion and makes everybody work towards the same results.

Encouraging Open, Honest, and Productive Dialogue

Alignment does not occur so that it is ignored but rather when it is dealt with. However, uncomfortable discussions are often challenging for leadership teams due to internal politics, personal differences, or fear of confrontation.

An effective moderator offers an easy, secure space in which beneficial discussion can take place. Leaders are able to:

• Voice concerns openly

• Challenge assumptions respectfully

• Address misalignment constructively

• Discuss barriers without defensiveness

The resulting conversations may also disclose discrepancy in expectations, values, or views never realized before and their resolution will result in a greater degree of alignment.

Translating Strategy Into Actionable Plans

Without vision and goals, it is not complete but alignment cannot be complete without leaders not agreeing on the way the strategy will be implemented. The facilitation of strategic planning assists leadership teams in the translation of big ideas into workable steps by:

• Defining roles and responsibilities

• Creating cross-functional accountability

• Setting execution timelines

• Establishing progress measurement systems

• Identifying dependencies between teams

This is an action plan stage that makes sure that all leaders do not merely buy into the plan, but are clear on what they are meant to deliver.

With the execution clearly outlined, coordinated action is taken, and confusion is avoided by the team.

Building Trust and Strengthening Team Cohesion

The one underestimated advantage of strategic planning facilitation is the effect it has on the relationship between the leadership. When leaders are engaged in an organized, participatory planning process, the development of strategy is made possible:

• Mutual respect

• Stronger communication habits

• A sense of shared ownership

• Greater transparency

• Increased confidence in one another

This team spirit develops a more powerful, united, and much better team to face the challenge as a team. In most situations, the mere ability to listen, ponder, and create consensus to the team is sufficient to enhance the dynamics of the team.

Eliminating Silos and Improving Cross-Functional Alignment

One of the most significant impediments to organization success is silos. Strategic planning facilitation enables leaders to emerge out of the departmental thinking and look at the organization as a whole.

Facilitators help teams to explore such questions as:

• Where do our functions overlap?

• Where do handoffs between teams break down?

• What processes need alignment?

• What cross-department support is required?

When leaders recognize the interdependence between their respective areas, and where the others rely on them, they have enhanced alignment throughout the whole organization.

The teams cease to work individually and begin to work as a leadership team.

Ensuring Accountability and Follow-Through

The best strategy will not succeed without action.

The facilitation of strategic planning helps to develop accountability systems that align leadership but not on a short-term basis.

These systems often include:

• Quarterly reviews

• Monthly scorecards

• Team performance dashboards

• Leadership alignment check-ins

• Priority-tracking tools

This will make the leaders remain on track even after the planning session is over. As long as progress is visible and tracked on a regular basis, alignment is a habit, rather than an exception.

Providing Objective Insight That Drives Better Decisions

Lastly, facilitation introduces an element that leadership teams cannot create in-house, which is: neutral, external point of view. A facilitator will be able to detect misalignment quicker, pose questions that the rest might not want to, and facilitate discussions objectively.

A clearer, more strategic, and more united decision-making process can be supported through this objective lens, allowing the organization to be driven forward.

Final Thoughts