Alignment Is Not Agreement—and Why That Distinction Matters More Than Ever

Many leaders believe alignment exists because it should.

They’ve communicated the strategy. They hired smart people. They expect everyone to get on board.

And yet—quietly, beneath the surface—large portions of the organization are not operating on the same page.

Alignment is not agreement. And assuming it exists is one of the most costly leadership mistakes organizations make.

The Illusion of Alignment at the Top

At the executive level, alignment often feels implied. Leaders assume that because the plan was discussed and approved, everyone is moving in the same direction.

In reality, many CEOs and senior leaders have no idea that half of their organization is interpreting the strategy differently—or working around it entirely.

Why?

Because people bring their own agendas into the workplace:

• Competing for promotions

• Protecting their departments

• Navigating strained relationships with peers

• Carrying resentment, jealousy, or mistrust across functions

Sales and operations. Corporate and field. Department versus department.

These dynamics don’t always show up in formal meetings—but they quietly shape behavior every day.

When leaders don’t actively look for them, they can end up like the emperor with no clothes—believing alignment exists while the organization fragments beneath them.

The Silence That Breaks Organizations

Often, the most capable leaders inside an organization see exactly what’s happening.

They recognize misalignment. They see teams working at cross purposes. They understand where execution is breaking down.

And yet—they stay silent.

Not because they don’t care, but because:

• They fear damaging relationships

• They fear being labeled “difficult”

• They fear for their roles or future

• Or worse, they’ve become disengaged

Silence is not agreement either. It’s often a signal that trust, safety, or belief in change is eroding.

Alignment Is a Human Challenge, Not a Structural One

Most organizations suffer from misalignment for the same reason families struggle with dysfunction.

You are bringing human beings—with emotions, habits, ambitions, insecurities, and history—together to:

• Build something meaningful

• Serve customers

• Execute on an idea

• Grow personally and professionally

Great organizations don’t deny this reality. They embrace it.

They recognize that alignment requires ongoing effort, not a single meeting or memo.

How Real Alignment Is Built

True alignment begins when leaders stop assuming and start listening.

That means creating an environment where:

• Dialogue is constant, not episodic

• Feedback flows upward, not just downward

• Leaders evaluate the leadership team, not just individuals

One of the most effective—and underutilized—tools is a 360-style evaluation of the leadership team as a unit, not just individual leaders.

And not just feedback from peers—but from:

• Middle management

• Front-line employees

• Those who serve customers every day

Ask the hardest—and most revealing—questions:

• How do people experience the senior leadership team?

• Where do leaders create clarity—and where do they create confusion?

• What behaviors are helping execution—and which are getting in the way?

Alignment cannot exist without understanding how leadership is truly experienced.

Get Out of the Office. Read the Room. Listen Closely.

Alignment also requires leaders to be present.

Not symbolically. Not occasionally. But meaningfully.

Great leaders:

• Spend time where the work happens

• Listen to what is said—and what is avoided

• Pay attention to tone, hesitation, and energy

• Read the room before it speaks

But listening alone isn’t enough.

The fastest way to destroy trust is to ask for feedback—and do nothing with it.

Do Something With What You Learn

Many organizations fail not because they lack information, but because they lack action.

When leaders ignore misalignment, teams don’t just drift—they begin working against each other. And when that happens, the organization ends up competing with itself.

You cannot achieve success this way. You cannot grow revenue or improve NOI if teams are rowing in different directions.

As Tiffani Bova highlights in The Experience Mindset, research shows:

• 61% of employees believe their employer needs to do a better job listening

• 62% say they would work harder if they felt better treated by their employer

Those numbers should stop leaders in their tracks.

Listening isn’t soft. It’s strategic.

When leaders listen—and act—performance improves. When performance improves, growth accelerates. For individuals. For teams. And for the organization.

The Bottom Line

Alignment is not a given. It is not achieved because it is expected. And it is not sustained without effort.

Real alignment is built when leaders:

• Acknowledge human dynamics

• Create space for honest dialogue

• Seek feedback relentlessly

• Spend time with their teams

• And act decisively on what they learn

That’s how organizations move together. That’s how execution improves. That’s how growth accelerates.