{"id":291480,"date":"2024-08-21T11:06:25","date_gmt":"2024-08-21T11:06:25","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/project.co\/?p=291480"},"modified":"2024-11-08T09:43:06","modified_gmt":"2024-11-08T09:43:06","slug":"team-alignment","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/project.co\/team-alignment\/","title":{"rendered":"Team Alignment: What it is and How to Achieve it (7 Tips)"},"content":{"rendered":"
<\/div>\n

You probably wouldn’t expect an article about team alignment to begin with a reference to a surrealist drawing game – but bear with us.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The party game ‘Exquisite corpse’ offers a near perfect metaphor for what happens when teams aren’t properly aligned.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

In the game, a piece of paper is folded three or four times, and participants then pass the paper round, ‘blindly’ drawing different parts of a character – the head, body, legs and feet – without reference to the parts already created.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The resulting creations are generally messy, wacky and hilarious. But they certainly don’t tend to be cohesive or artistically impressive.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"\"<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

By Alan Levine from Mortlach, Canada – Exquisite Corpse Art, CC BY 2.0<\/a><\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Now imagine instead of drawing a character, we\u2019re focusing on a typical business project: something much larger, involving many people and facets – a new product, a video project, a new website, or a rebrand. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

In exactly the same way, without being properly aligned to a goal, a vision, and in tune with each other’s work, these projects would clearly be MUCH less likely to produce quality outputs and outcomes – and much more likely to fail – if participants were similarly disconnected and misaligned.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The alternative? Team alignment.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

In this article we’ll take a look at what team alignment is, why it’s important – and cover a few ways to achieve it in your business or team. Let’s jump in!<\/p>\n\n\n\n

What is team alignment?<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Team alignment means that everyone in the team is working together<\/strong> towards a common goal.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

It’s about making sure that everyone knows what the goals are, and that they understand how their individual work fits into achieving those goals.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

It’s also about ensuring that everyone has the same understanding of the project – which can be difficult when you have team members with different levels of experience, or who are based in different parts of the world.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Why is team alignment so important?<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

There are lots of reasons why having an aligned team is important – but ultimately it comes down to two things: quality<\/strong> and efficiency.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

As we proved with our \u2018exquisite corpse\u2019 example, an aligned team will produce better results than a team that isn’t. With a clear, cohesive vision, it\u2019s much more likely that people\u2019s work will line up and serve the same overall goal.<\/p>\n\n\n

\n <\/i>Our Insight\n<\/div>\n
\n An aligned team will also be a more efficient team. When everyone understands their role – and how it fits into the bigger picture – work is more focused, more efficient and clear.\n<\/div><\/div>\n\n\n

Aligned teams are able to work together more effectively, and avoid the problems that can come from miscommunication or misunderstanding – such as duplicated work.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Everyone understands how their time is best used to serve the goals of the project.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

In short: an aligned team is a happier, more productive team – and more successful projects.<\/p>\n\n\n

\n <\/i>Statistic\n<\/div>\n
\n An almost unanimous 97% of workers and employers believe that the lack of team alignment influences the success of a task or project.<\/strong>\n
\n Source: <\/strong>TeamStage<\/a>\n <\/div>\n<\/div><\/div>\n\n\n

7 ways to achieve team alignment<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

So how do you achieve team alignment? Here are a few suggestions…<\/p>\n\n\n\n

1. Clear project scope<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

It\u2019s a struggle to get anywhere without setting a destination – and it\u2019s the same with a project. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

It\u2019s really important to get started by defining your project \u2018scope.\u2019 This is a bit of a project management buzzword but it just means setting the \u2018boundaries\u2019 of your project: what it is, and what it isn\u2019t.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

It\u2019s deciding what you\u2019re making, who\u2019s making it and roughly how.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Defining the goals of the project early on – and making sure everyone understands them – is an important first step in getting everybody on the same page.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

However you manage your project – whether it\u2019s through a project management tool<\/a> or something less sophisticated like a physical whiteboard – make sure the project scope is clearly defined and understood from the very outset. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

2. Assign clear roles – and rules<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Next you need to make sure everyone knows their individual roles, and how they fit into the team. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

This sounds glib and simplistic but really, what we want here is for everyone <\/em>to know, in basic terms, how everyone else <\/em>is contributing to the project. So it\u2019s a pretty big undertaking!<\/p>\n\n\n

\n <\/i>Our Insight\n<\/div>\n
\n When people understand how their work interacts with that of others, you\u2019re much more likely to see good levels of uniformity – it\u2019s back to the exquisite corpse example, again. If nobody knows what others are doing, things can quickly become messy.\u00a0\n<\/div><\/div>\n\n\n

Get everyone on the same page understanding their own contributions, the contributions of other people and teams, and how these things can interact.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

3. Central source of truth: kill the silos!<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Most businesses find planning <\/em>a project pretty easy. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

It\u2019s when things get started<\/em> that they lose control. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Why? Because people are unique, and – left to their own devices – will cobble together their own individual ways of working.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

In some cases, that\u2019s fine, but what about when those individual ways of working don\u2019t line up?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

When things get agreed by email and aren\u2019t visible to the wider team?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

When people scribble tasks on a paper list and others in their team pick up the same tasks to work on?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Projects – particularly big ones, and particularly <\/em>ones involving distributed or remote teams – rely on having a central source of truth.<\/p>\n\n\n

\n <\/i>Recommended Article\n<\/div>\n
\n
\n
\"X-Easy-Ways-to-Break-Down-Silos-in-Your-Organisation2\"<\/a><\/div>\n <\/div>\n
\n
9 Easy Ways to Break Down Silos in Your Organisation<\/a><\/div>\n
In this article we’ll provide 9 easy easy ways to break down silos in your organisation, so knowledge can flow freely between teams.<\/div>\n <\/div>\n<\/div><\/div>\n\n\n

One single document, one single place to communicate, one single place to share important project information. There\u2019s no getting around it, the best way to do this is by using a project management tool<\/a> like Project.co that lets you invite your team, chat in one place, share files, manage tasks and track time.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"Collaborator<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

4. Communication, communication, communication<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

For all your best laid plans, things will change along the way. Challenges will arise and questions will pop up.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

It\u2019s vitally important to encourage open communication, and make sure everyone feels able to raise concerns or ask questions.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

As an extension to the point above, it\u2019s also important to make sure that changes and information are communicated in a way that everybody can access and understand. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

For example, in Project.co we keep a timestamped log of all discussion on a project for everybody who\u2019s been invited – internal, client or freelancer – to read back over what\u2019s been discussed and agreed. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"discussion-tool\"<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Each new message creates an email alert to the inbox of everybody involved in the project, as well.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

5. Provide the necessary files and materials<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

There\u2019s nothing more annoying than coming to do a job and realising you don\u2019t have the information, tools or material needed to actually complete the task.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

This will look different for you depending on the \u2018type\u2019 of project, but, on a general level, process really is your friend here. <\/p>\n\n\n

\n <\/i>Our Insight\n<\/div>\n
\n Process removes human error and ensures that things are done correctly every time, with clear paths to rectify errors quickly and avoid delays to the overall project schedule.\u00a0\n<\/div><\/div>\n\n\n

For example, if you were running a branding agency, you might ask every client to complete a brief form at the beginning of your project. You could then save that in a well-organised client folder to be picked up by the person working on the project in its earliest stages.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

6. Schedule regular progress checks <\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

We\u2019ve already touched on ad-hoc communication and making this possible: it\u2019s really important to make sure people are able to chat and communicate about projects, ask questions and clarify details as and when confusion occurs.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

But it\u2019s important to go beyond <\/em>this, too, particularly for project managers who have a broader, less focused view of the project. <\/p>\n\n\n

\n <\/i>Our Insight\n<\/div>\n
\n Regularly scheduled progress checks are a really important step to making sure that things aren\u2019t missed and don\u2019t slip due to sheer human error.\u00a0\n<\/div><\/div>\n\n\n

How frequent these checks are is ultimately at your discretion but whether it\u2019s daily stand-up meets, weekly check-ins on Zoom, monthly face-to-face catch-ups or something even more sporadic than that, these meetings are a great way to flag up issues early <\/em>and get them resolved quickly.\u00a0<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

7. Build a winning team culture<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

The final point here is perhaps the most important. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

It\u2019s easy to forget this when you\u2019re focused purely on running successful projects – but does any of it really matter if your team <\/strong>isn\u2019t really a team?<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

To go \u2018full cheese mode\u2019 a team is about working together, enjoying each other\u2019s company, celebrating each other\u2019s successes and ultimately enriching and nourishing each other’s professional lives.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

So perhaps the most important part of team alignment is getting your team culture right. <\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n

\n <\/i>Recommended Article\n<\/div>\n
\n
\n
\"Team-Culture-image\"<\/a><\/div>\n <\/div>\n
\n
10 Proven Strategies to Build an Incredible Team Culture<\/a><\/div>\n
Discover 10 proven strategies to build an incredible team culture. Boost productivity, retention, and employee satisfaction with these actionable tips!<\/div>\n <\/div>\n<\/div><\/div>\n\n\n

Again, we\u2019re not being too prescriptive here, it will look different from team to team, and it\u2019s super important that it feels organic and fun rather than forced and cringey. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

But make time, and space, to review projects, celebrate successes together – and learn from failures as a team. <\/p>\n\n\n

\n <\/i>Our Insight\n<\/div>\n
\n Create an environment where feedback is given constructively, in a way that people are comfortable with, success is rewarded and development is gently and positively encouraged.\u00a0\n<\/div><\/div>\n\n\n

Thanks for reading<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Clearly, there’s no one-size-fits-all solution to team alignment – but by following the spirit of these suggestions, you should be well on your way to achieving it in your business!<\/p>\n\n\n\n

We hope this article has helped you to understand more about team alignment, and how it can benefit your business.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

And while you\u2019re here, it\u2019d be remiss of us not to point you one last time in the direction of Project.co<\/a>: our tool was built from the ground up to make sure teams are aligned, productive and happy – avoiding disruption, wasted work and time. <\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Team alignment means that everyone in the team is working together towards a common goal. Let’s look at some tips to achieve that in your business. <\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":6,"featured_media":291482,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_et_pb_use_builder":"off","_et_pb_old_content":"","_et_gb_content_width":"","_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":"","_links_to":"","_links_to_target":""},"categories":[13],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-291480","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-productivity"],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"https:\/\/project.co\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/08\/Team-Alignment.png","jetpack_shortlink":"https:\/\/wp.me\/pgGBe0-1dPi","jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/project.co\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/291480","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/project.co\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/project.co\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/project.co\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/6"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/project.co\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=291480"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/project.co\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/291480\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/project.co\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/291482"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/project.co\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=291480"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/project.co\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=291480"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/project.co\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=291480"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}