A quicker way to become aligned (and celebrate as a team).
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Reader, People often talk about their team members with an air of mystery, as if their daily work is shrouded in uncertainty:
In fact, as I write this in a coffee shop, the man next to me is venting about his team member, Curtis: "He's trying to do things that aren’t even his job. And he never communicates, because he's too busy doing two jobs poorly instead of one job well. He’s focused on things the customer doesn’t even need, and this project is not going to reflect well on him. Curtis needs to step up or step out." A pattern emerges. This man doesn’t know what Curtis is doing or why. Not knowing leads to speculation. Speculation builds into worry. Worry quickly turns into frustration—and sometimes fear. I don’t know this man or Curtis, but I’ve heard this story countless times. And no one likes this pattern—not the person doubting another, nor the one being doubted. The real issue: misaligned definitions of excellent work.The frustrated colleague sees success through one lens—making the customer happy. Curtis, however, is focused on details that don’t seem to contribute to that goal. Their definitions of excellent work don’t match, so conflict arises. Even if the project succeeds and the customer is thrilled, these two won’t be celebrating together. The traditional approach to alignment.Most organizations align teams through Purpose, Vision, Mission, Values, Strategies, and Goals. This clarity is extremely valuable. But even when done well, it doesn’t always resolve the everyday disconnects between colleagues. The missing piece.People interpret excellent work differently. You know what it looks like to do your job well. So do your colleagues. But their version of excellence may not match yours. When those definitions clash, friction follows. Certainly, you can revisit Purpose, Vision, Strategies, and Goals. But sometimes, you need a quicker way to align. Try asking: “How will we define excellent work in this project?” Let each person share their definition, then collectively decide on a shared standard of excellence. Why this works.This question uncovers how each person thinks and what matters to them. It reveals their:
And since great work requires different perspectives and priorities, defining excellence together ensures everyone is working toward the same outcome. Consider how all of these definitions of excellent work are important:
The power of shared success.One reason teams don’t celebrate is they don’t all agree it was a success. Instead of experiencing the thrill of accomplishment together, one person is satisfied, another is disappointed, and someone else is frustrated. How sad is that? The fastest way to become aligned is to decide what success looks like from the start. Then, achieve it—and celebrate it—together. After all, you earned it. How will you and your team define excellent work in your next project? Try it out and let me know how it goes! Enjoy! Sara |