Business
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Businesses are evolving rapidly, and the competition is ever-growing. Companies need to be aligned and strategically prepared to react to new trends and information to survive in this fast-moving world.
Five steps you can take to create an aligned company
All the teams in a company need to work in harmony with each other to stay on top of their functions and keep the company agile. Here are five steps you can take to create an aligned company.
1. Remind employees about the value chain
The value chain refers to how a company delivers services or products to customers. The first step towards creating an aligned company is having a clear value chain. Regardless of the team, each employee should have a basic knowledge of how the company delivers the services and should have clarity about the part they play in it. Each employee must understand the value chain so they know how they affect each other’s work and develop a sense of mutual understanding.
2. Structure the company to support alignment
The next step after establishing the value chain of the company is to form the organizational structure. The teams in the company need to be arranged in a way that employees who work in coordination can have clear and strong communication with each other.
the organization can be mapped out in a matrix and divided into two types of teams -teams that create products or services and the teams that deliver them. The former type can be placed on the x-axis, while the latter can be placed on the y-axis with intersections of two teams that need to communicate regularly.
3. Encourage consistent and predictable operations in the company
Placing the teams on the matrix can help predict company-wide operations and communication systems. The teams should work collaboratively and the employees, managers, directors, and executives should regularly communicate up and down the chain to keep the company aligned. This includes having regular meetings, reviews, and planning to discuss the work and focus on the company’s growth.
The company can maintain alignment and plan future strategies effectively by planning out the operations and keeping them predictable.
4. Encourage operating in teams
While having an organizational structure is essential, it is equally important for it to be properly followed. It all comes down to the employees who execute the functions to grow the company to reach the vision you’ve set. The individual work of an employee is important but working in teams is what makes a company aligned. The employees should work collaboratively in teams for the effective functioning of the team.
5. Teams should have communication networks with each other
Working together as a team is just as important as working together with other teams. Leaders should ensure that their teams maintain good communication with others and work in unison. It helps maintain clarity in the company and keep it aligned.
Summing up
Maintaining an aligned company requires constant effort. After creating a structure, it is essential to ensure that it is maintained by all the teams to drive the company towards success.
