Test agreement through action
Executive teams face forces that pull priorities apart: functional goals, customer demands, incentives, and personal commitments. Alignment becomes credible when leaders give up something that conflicts with the enterprise direction, whether that means budget, autonomy, or a favored project.
Name the required changes
Identify the behaviors and operating practices the strategy needs. Review how expenses and revenue are allocated, how people earn recognition, and how teams collaborate. Make the decision about what will not be pursued as explicit as the decision about what will proceed.
Protect the commitment
Establish rules for reallocating capacity when work finishes or circumstances change. Examine the risks that have weakened alignment before and create feedback loops to catch them early. Sustained alignment is a continuing leadership responsibility that must survive the next difficult choice.