5 simple steps to achieving and maintaining Organizational Clarity
By Lori de Scossa, HR Associate Director, The Jouta Performance Group
As featured in Ezine Articles
Do you have Organizational Clarity? No I don’t mean do you have a plaque posted in your lobby that has your vision, mission and values printed on it. Or that you have your vision, mission and values posted on your website for all to see. I’m talking about true Organizational Clarity where everyone in the organization from the Cleaner to the CEO, from the Accountant to the Customer Service Representative is on the same page and talking the same language. It’s rarer than you might think.
So how do you achieve this type of Clarity? Here are 5 simple steps to achieving and maintaining Organizational Clarity.
1. Ask everyone in the organization to answer one simple question: What business are we in? You will be amazed at the variety of answers you get. Based on the answers create some common language that everyone in the organization can use to describe what you do (don’t make it sales-y or complicated, just use plain language). Then share this common language with everyone in the organization.
2. Define why you exist as an organization. What is your purpose? Do you exist to make a difference, to make a profit, to make your customers happy? Many leadership teams never take the time to define their purpose. How can you define success if you don’t know why you exist or what your purpose is?
3. Create an Organizational Goal that is not related to Standard Operating Objectives. This goal should be one that everyone in the organization, regardless of the role they play, can relate to, and see how everyone can help to achieve it. Too often organizations hold all employees accountable to an Organizational Goal that is profit or productivity driven and in most cases the average employee has no ability to directly impact that outcome.
4. Define every individual’s roles and responsibilities within the organization as they pertain to the Standard Operating Objectives AND to the Organizational Goal. Most employees want to succeed and want to see the organization they work for succeed. By tying their roles and responsibilities to both of these they can easily see the direct impact their effort has.
5. Communicate often and openly. “Fireside Chats” are a great way for Senior Leaders within an organization to stay connected to the rest of the employees and for employees to stay connected to progress of the company. Having a set monthly meeting for 15-30 minutes where whoever is available can come and listen to a Senior Leader of the organization update the team on progress and achievements is a perfect way to maintain clarity. It’s also a great opportunity to celebrate the birthdays that took place that month by sharing cake!
What do you find are the biggest obstacles to overcome in achieving Organizational Clarity in your organization? We’d love to hear from you.
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