I couldn’t agree more with Seth, if you get a large organisation not normally noted for its alignment across divisions, territories and other man made internal barriers to focus on one message or story then the effect is really remarkable. It is especially rewarding and motivating for all participants when the organisation is recovering from a crisis.
In my own experience at Xerox when the business was recovering from a financial crisis in 2001 there were a couple of pan European programs in the printer business (called Extreme and Golden Dragon) that really united the sales teams and channel partners and subsequently drove performance.
Then when I joined Dell I was asked during my induction what stood out compared to previous organisations I had worked for, high on my shortlist was total and complete alignment from Michael down to the cleaners everyone new what had to be done and said etc. This can of course have drawbacks for creative employees but still I believe it is a key reason for Dell’s remarkable success over the last few years (despite anxious quarters of late).
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Bureaucracy certainly has its drawbacks and merits. But in the long run, it certainly becomes mechanized and monotonous for employees and everyone.
In all walks of life - professional and business - team goal aligment and focus equals success and rewards. I have been involved in a number of highly succesful business ventures - some start-ups(3M, Peachtree, Lotus and Tektronix) and some less so (Chrysler, Burroughs and a number of dotcoms). The common thread - a clear vision delivered on by a motivated and energised team. This is true for all sized companies and even between people in personal relationships. Why divorce? We now have different ideas on what we want in life and don't share the same values and beliefs. Same in business. Get your team and stakeholders aligned and anything is possible.
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