Your leadership team is divided on strategic planning. How will you align conflicting agendas for success?

Aligning a divided leadership team on strategic planning requires a clear, collaborative approach. Start by facilitating open communication to ensure everyone understands the organization's overall vision and goals. Encourage each member to express their perspectives and concerns, fostering a sense of inclusion and respect. Identify common ground and focus on shared objectives that align with the broader mission. Prioritize transparency and trust, addressing conflicts with empathy and seeking compromise where necessary. Leveraging data and evidence-based insights can help guide discussions and decisions. Lastly, reinforcing a unified message and setting clear, actionable steps will help maintain alignment and drive collective success.

A haiku on understanding views: Hear each voice's call, Empathy builds respect's wall, Unity through all. To get your leadership team working together, start by talking to each person alone. Understand their worries, what they want, and their goals. This helps you respect and understand each other. By valuing different ideas, you can find ways to work together. Alignment means finding common ground, not making everyone think the same. "Discover what the customers want by asking them what they want?"

Acredito que participar de discuss?es individuais é crucial para compreender suas preocupa??es, motiva??es e resultados desejados. Esse entendimento é a base da empatia e do respeito, fundamentais para resolver agendas conflitantes. Reconhecer o valor de diferentes pontos de vista n?o apenas promove um ambiente de compromisso e colabora??o, mas também fortalece a equipe como um todo. Alinhamento, para mim, n?o significa uniformidade de pensamento, mas sim a constru??o de um terreno comum e uma dire??o compartilhada que respeite as percep??es individuais. Em um mundo corporativo cada vez mais dinamico e diversificado, essa abordagem é essencial para o sucesso sustentável.

The goal of strategic planning is developing a plan to achieve certain goals. In my experience leading strategic planning processes, the challenges come when the participants have different goals for the process; they want different results at the end of of the process. Unless everyone is in agreement, the process will be fraught with conflict. The team must first work through getting consensus on the ultimate goal(s). Then you can develop the process to get there.

Encourage open discussions where each member can present their perspectives and concerns about the strategic plan. Facilitate these conversations by asking clarifying questions and finding common ground. For example, if one faction prioritizes innovation while another focuses on cost-cutting, explore how both can be integrated into a balanced strategy. Fostering dialogue is like hosting a brainstorming session where everyone's ideas are valued—sometimes the best solutions emerge from a mix of different viewpoints. And remember, if the dialogue gets heated, just keep in mind that even the most intense debates can be resolved with a little bit of humor and a lot of patience!

I remember my first coaching certification; I was both excited and apprehensive. I continuously sought guidance while aiming for mastery. Embracing the candid feedback of my senior coaches contributed enormously to my personal and professional growth. When we, as coaches, are on a quest for constant improvement, we empower ourselves to deliver the best guidance to our clients. By investing in our development through coaching certification, we aim to reach new heights and become true trailblazers in the realm of executive and leadership development.

It is really important that as a team, the measurable objectives are drilled down to include specifics that would align with the culture and goals of the entity. It is always important for a team to also decide and agree on deadlines/timelines that these goals will be achieved, as well as prioritized.

Perhaps "integrates the diverse perspectives" could use some clarification. To me, the goal is to ensure everyone has a voice and a chance to be heard, creating a rich pool of potential strategies. However, to decide on a way forward, potential ideas need to go through an evaluation process starting with defining criteria for considering or rejecting strategies. Once the team agrees on these criteria, the process can narrow down to the final strategy. In the end, everyone should have the chance to contribute and be part of the process. Not all ideas will meet the criteria, and be “integrated” into the final decision.

Desarrollar un Plan de Contingencia puede ayudar a manejar desacuerdos y mantener el rumbo en caso de que surjan conflictos inesperados. Revisa y ajusta el plan de contingencia según sea necesario para mantener la flexibilidad.

There's a unique magic in witnessing executive coaching transform leaders. In my work at Global Coach Group, I've seen that development flourish through practical approaches and shared experiences. One key takeaway? Remember the power of open communication during implementation. Every team member must understand their role and how it contributes to common goals. A few tips for keeping the team on track? Regular check-ins progress updates adjustments when necessary. The blend of collaboration and adaptability amplifies momentum.

To align a divided leadership team on strategic planning, focus on evaluating results. Start by reviewing performance metrics and identifying successful and failing initiatives. Gather and analyze data and feedback to understand different perspectives. Present these findings to facilitate data-driven discussions and encourage open dialogue. Use the results to set common goals and prioritize actions. Develop a strategic plan that incorporates these goals, defines clear roles, and outlines responsibilities. Continuously monitor progress and be ready to adjust the plan based on ongoing performance and feedback.

I encourage teams to use the GAS scoring method to monitor progress against objectives over time. However I also think regular check-ins are essential to work out if the metrics used are still relevant or if they need refining.