The discussion was going to be easy.  Two facilities, in the same company, making nearly identical products (to a non-techie like me), with nearly identical mission statements. It didn't turn out that way.

Chemical Plant #1

Just a few months earlier the site leader of the Mississippi chemical plant had worked hard to craft the perfect "purpose statement".  The single set of words  to describe to his associates just what was expected from every person, every work process, and every delivery.   "to deliver products that give our customers and shareholders a competitive edge".   He could explain this well. It wasn't good enough to make product to a range of specifications..."every delivered product had to meet the current competitive needs of our customers... and we had to do so in a way that gave our shareholders and 'investment' edge."  That meant constant communication with customers and the market.    Constant sharing of information with everyone in the organization.  Constant checking and changing to see that "the edge" was delivered.  Every person discussed how they were going to deliver 'Competitive edge" results to the next person or group in the chain..  Promises had been made to the market and investors on their behalf - it was up to them to deliver.  The words were just a fraction of the work... but they made everything else easier because everyone knew how success would be measured. 

Sister Plant #2

Now, in the Georgia facility, the discussion was different.  "Competitive?...we just need to be consistent!".  This plant manager explained that his customers were furious at the wild fluctuations in his facility's performance.  It had a bad track record.  It also was in trouble with corporate leadership and investors... the same wild swings in performance made them a bad bet. Our discussion was difficult, we could not copy the purpose statement of the sister facility in Mississippi  - it would be sometime  before this facility was producing a "competitive edge" product.  And then it came: "Consistently good.  Deliver cash."  People had to understand that both statements defined the purpose of all actions.  We then set about putting a system in place to help people understand how important these two points of purpose were to the survival of the business and how to assess if they were winning or losing each day to their purpose.  Within 60 days the people responded with a 12% increase in product and such a large reduction in rejected material they were embarrassed to make the comparison.  For the first time in a long time they had something to be proud of, something to brag about.  Excellence was still in the future but for now they had achieved good.

The lessons learned were interesting

1. Purpose statements are translations of expectations.  They may change as expectations change. 
2. When people understand they have a unique purpose they respond uniquely.
   
3. Well thought out, clearly stated, and repeatedly discussed - purpose statements make the work of change much easier.
4. On the way to great, you have to first be good. 

Mission, Vision, Values, Behavior.   Doesn’t every organization have these?  I may be cynical, but don't you think many today are immune to the big 4 alignment tools – the “must haves” espoused by nearly every leadership book, management consultant and marketing department?  You would be hard pressed to find an organization’s web site that does not have at least one of these four.   Are you sensing sarcasm?  Yes, not because I don't believe in their use – they are essential. 

It’s not the words.   Words are important.  However, it’s the essential uses of words that are most important.  You see most organizations go through the exercise of creating words.  “We have to write a mission statement”… Check.   “We just completed our vision”… Check.   “Did you post our Values on the web site?” … Check.    Beautiful verbal decoration.   That's where work usually ends...or just after the required "roll out" sessions.

In successful organization culture, that's when real work begins: Using words to make decisions.  Here is where the first skill of alignment comes into use: Instilling Purpose.

Purpose makes it clear for people why they have to do the work, or why they must make a change.  One of my favorite discussions with clients is about purpose. If you have used the 5-Why tool before you will understand the fun. It's the same exercise your three year old  plays with you.  In this case, instead of using the tool to solve a problem - just ask "Why" are you about to ...".  Then after they give you the answer, ask "why" again.  Somewhere before you get to the fifth "why..." you will get a good picture of what the person thinks is the purpose of their actions.   It is interesting to read the statements of leaders and compare these to the understandings of purpose that come from these discussions. 

Purpose comes from understanding the expectations of others: customers, bosses, shareholders, and others in the organization.  A purpose statement condenses that down to a few guiding words. Purpose is performing your piece of the puzzle so that the whole picture comes together and makes sense.  Purpose is what your bosses, customers, colleagues are hoping you will deliver… but they may not do a good job of letting you know.  You find out what was really expected when it’s too late - when you have failed to deliver.  As a leader,  clarifying expectations - especially during times of change - is job #1.  It's not about explaining it once.  It's not about making one statement to fit everyone.  It is about making sure every unit and every person in the unit has little light bulbs of understanding going off in their head. 

A good purpose statement is crisp and practical.  It is direct and written in a way that can be easily remembered and used for decision making.  Purpose is the answer to the question “what you want me to do?” – It usually answers or at least connects to the other question “Why?”  When the big 4 are filled with pretty words the answers to  “Why?”,“Why me?”, “Why us?” or "What do you expect me to do?"  get lost.  Purpose statements help point the way out of confusion.

Nowhere is purpose more important than during a big change or a big challenge.   In World War II, the British Ministry of Information produced the now iconic "Keep Calm. Carry On." posters.  According to the blog  Holding The Line  The statement was designed to be “a statement of the duty of the individual citizen.”  A message from a King to his people.  In a way, this makes a pretty good purpose statement.  Not likely one I would use with an organization but for a citizenry facing a major threat with the possibility of unforeseen attacks - it works.

If you are in the middle of leading a big change or a response to a big challenge your first responsibility is clarifying, checking and reinforcing “purpose”.   There are things you can do which help - but it is an artful skill.   Get as much help as you can honing the skill.

In the next posting, I will give you some examples in “A Tale of Two Purposes.”

The Dutch call it " getting all of the noses pointing in the same direction". When charting a new course, the single greatest leadership frustration is not coming up with the perfect plan - it's the fear that no one will follow. For followers it's fear that leaders will not support each other and follow thru. That's where each group places blame when plans fail to deliver.

Today we look for remote controls - installing software to monitor and measure, hoping to find "an app for that". Anything to insure compliance. According to Alexa.com the number one website ranking for "aligning organizations" is Successfactors.com an SAP solution provider. Successfactors offers products to shape and maintain the performance of people in an organization. More than 80% of visitors to  Successfactors head straight to "Performancemanager".  So significant is the need for tools, SAP acquired the company earlier this year.

Technology offers powerful potential however, leaders make good products look bad when we depend on the product to be the solution. The greatest misunderstanding is the amount of work required to make an organization "self aligning". Leadership in alignment is not a remote activity. It's not easy making it look easy.

Successful alignment requires leaders to acknowledge or work on all of the pieces of the alignment puzzle. It is enticing to think we can avoid the hard work by installing software. Leadership Nirvana. Alignment is art - the art of great leadership. Software is a tool in the artist's toolbox. If you are going to be an artist you'd better work on your skill sets before depending too much on tools.

In the coming posts we will be writing about five important alignment skills good leaders need to cultivate...

1. Instilling purpose
2. Cultivating trust
3. Energizing conversations and feedback
4. Making success a "big deal" - the art of Winning.

And oh yes...

5. Creating process

Which might include software.

Alexa.com
Successfactors.com
Performancemanager.successfactors.com