Award-winning Business Communication - How to Break through Limitations Set by Others
Beth Banning and Neill Gibson
Do you struggle to create and maintain cohesiveness in your business or your place of work? Don't you wish there was a way to bring everyone together and work toward a common goal? Well, there is a way to do all of this and keep a smile on each person's face. One of the most important and little-known business communication practices is alignment. Read on to find out what this is and how it can turbo-charge your workplace productivity.
What is Alignment?
Every so often your car needs tuning up and those helpful people at the auto shop will also align your tires. That's not exactly the alignment we're referring to here, but it's similar in its function. While your vehicle operates at its best when its tires are properly aligned, so does any business relationship. Alignment in business is when all parties are aligned and working towards a common goal. Alignment is so much more than the just basic communication skills that you're taught in sales meetings. It's about effective business communication that comes from team members working like a well-oiled machine (or properly aligned tires). Another way to think of alignment is like a marriage. If both husband and wife are aligned - they understand the wants and needs of the other person - then both are more likely to achieve what they want. Unfortunately, we hear divorcees reflecting on their failed marriages explaining that 'We just didn't want the same things.' When we create alignment in our business interactions, we build a solid foundation upon which we can work together happily to achieve mutually satisfying and success results.
Promoting Internal Alignment
In order to create alignment with others, we must first create alignment with ourselves. When we understand what we want, we are more capable of expressing it to others. First ask yourself: what are the underlying values behind your desired outcome? For instance, perhaps you want every attendee to turn off their cell phones during a meeting. As you explore this want, you discover that consideration and focused attention are important to you; these are the underlying values behind your desired outcome of powered off cell phones. Keep in mind that each desired outcome is motivated by underlying values.
Putting it to Work:Having an Alignment Conversation
After determining your own values and desired outcome you're ready to explore those of your colleagues. The people with whom you will be working are also motivated by values, which are not necessarily the same as yours. By asking if they share the same values you will gain insight into what motivates them. Once you know what motivates them, you can each get on board with a shared vision. This is the alignment process. When you are set with a shared vision in place, you can begin to lay out strategies that will make that vision come to fruition.
Key points for the alignment conversation:
As you begin to share your values and goals with others, try to avoid strategizing as much as possible. The alignment conversation should consist of making an agreement with them to worry less about the details of the 'how' and focus on getting to that shared vision. You can worry later about how you will get there. It is also a good idea to steer clear of discussions about the past. When you and the other person(s) agree not to speak of the past, the conversation will be free of skepticism and finger pointing.
Some other things to cover in the conversation include:
Be willing to negotiate detailed strategies that benefit all those involved. Dedicate yourself to letting go of judgment and criticism. Be ready to celebrate all successes that come from the conversation.
As your shared vision becomes apparent and is adopted by everyone, you will begin to see that everyone works together because they see the bigger picture of what everyone wants. This will help produce outstanding results of which everyone can be proud. Increased productivity and collaboration will come naturally and each person will feel as if they have won.
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