How to ensure your team is strategically aligned

Alignment is not only important for building successful teams, it is essential for a successful organisation on the whole.  

Team alignment is when each person in a team understands not just their individual role but how they play a part in contributing to the team’s overall goals and priorities. When each person in a team understands the bigger picture and their part in it, they can work together more harmoniously and efficiently. 

And when teams are aligned, they have a shared understanding of the organisation’s goals, a sense of purpose, and a shared vision of how to achieve those goals. When the whole organisation is aligned on strategy and purpose, they are more likely to achieve their mission. 

The benefits of team alignment  

There are many benefits to team alignment, such as collective buy-in, shared commitment to projects, increased employee engagement, greater visibility and transparency, and increased productivity and efficiency.  

For example, when teams understand how their roles fit into the bigger picture, they are more likely to feel part of something important. And knowing how they can help achieve the charity’s mission can keep them motivated and valued.  

How charities can ensure their teams are aligned  

Here are the steps a charity can take to help ensure their teams are strategically aligned to achieve organisational goals and objectives.  

Create a goal-setting framework and KPIs 

To understand how teams are progressing towards shared organisational goals, it’s important to have a framework in place. One such framework is Objectives and Key Results, or OKRs. Or you can use SMART goals — Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Relevant, and Time-bound. 

Once you have created your goal-setting framework and identified your goals, you will need to create Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) which measure success towards your goals. Having KPIs allows you to see if you’re on track or not to meet your goals.  

Check in regularly 

To ensure that everyone is on the right track and that they are motivated and engaged, schedule regular check-ins. These could be weekly or biweekly, depending on the project or campaign.  

Meeting regularly helps to track progress against goals and deadlines, tackle any issues or blockers – and find solutions – and helps teams and individuals to stay focused on what it is they are trying to achieve. It’s also a good opportunity to remind people of the bigger picture and their role in it – helping to reenergise and reinvigorate.  

Recognise and reward teams  

One of the most powerful ways to keep teams and people motivated and committed to working towards shared goals is to recognise and reward them when they get it right. By publicly acknowledging those teams, you’re showing the rest of the organisation not only what success looks like but what shared values look like. 

Recognition and reward can take different forms. It may be a ‘shout-out’ in a town hall or all staff meeting, an email to all staff praising that team or individual, or something more tangible such as giving that team a 4pm finish one Friday.  

Use shared tech to visualise the bigger picture 

When everyone is working towards a shared goal, it’s important to be able to track and measure progress. Having access to a shared dashboard or platform, for example, can help teams and individuals to not only see their progress but to visualise how their work contributes to wider organisational objectives. Shared technology makes it easier for everyone to see the bigger picture.  

Invest in learning and development  

For teams to be effective, they need people with the right skills. Investing in learning and development helps ensure that people have the necessary knowledge and skills to perform effectively and efficiently. It also shows that you value them and that you are investing in them and their future.  

For teams who work in digital, investing in their learning and development is crucial to ensure that your organisation keeps up with the pace of change.  

Create a culture of open communication  

Effective teams don’t always agree. Alignment is about finding a solution to move forward, despite disagreements. When team members can communicate their concerns, thoughts, and ideas without fear or judgement, it fosters trust and encourages collaboration.  

Having the freedom to raise concerns also means that any problems can be addressed early on, which may stop them from becoming much bigger problems further down the line. And letting people express their thoughts and ideas, and bringing their diverse perspectives on an issue, can help in problem solving.