To Align and Drive Revenue, Jam Often and Hit Hard

In business, the concept of alignment strategy is about breaking down silos inside organizations and establishing cross-functional workflows without inhibiting anyone’s domain expertise.

“It’s often straightforward to identify a strategy needed to achieve a goal, but what trips up companies is figuring out how to execute the strategy once identified,” saws Cal Newport in his book Deep Work.

What is easy. It’s the how part that’s hard.

To appreciate the subtle nuances of putting alignment into practice, compare for a moment the art of jazz improvisation and the individual sport of tennis.

Jazz combos are completely collaborative.

Artists take their turn improvising solos, but in keeping with the agreed arrangement and the guard rails of the melody.

Jazz musicians jam, harmonize and gig. They have instrumental conversations and trade rhythms.

Jazz bands aren’t about winners or losers. Like any good marketing department, they play a collective groove.

Tennis, on the other hand, is

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