Alignment –
An alternative narrative
Softer
aspects of leadership have always attracted multiple narratives – most of those
narratives have been based on the western world view and have originated from
those cradles of thought. I am sure there is great value in any narrative but
when we start reposing our faith in only one of them, almost ignoring and hence
rejecting the possibility of the relevance of alternative narratives, is when
we allow our pursuit of inquiry to become singular and hence incomplete.
Thankfully
things are changing – and my book, ‘Kabeer in Korporates’ on which this write
up is based, is an addition to the growing tradition of alternative narratives
to mainstream subjects.
Leadership
alignment is actually a part of the larger issue of alignment in not only all
constituents of the organisation but also at all levels of the organisation.
The reason I use these two frames separately is because the task of creating
aligned workforce is distinct in its nature and prescriptions at the top and at
the bottom- and between the top and the bottom of organisations. The
dysfunctionalities causing disarray at the top emerge from insecurities and
ego, while the dysfunctionalities between the top and the bottom emerge from
loss of credibility of the top.
The chaos
at the top leading to lack of alignment has many hues – it begins with the
struggle for primacy between the functional heads; so the CFO makes the financial
goals as the primary goal, or the Sales head making the sales goals as the
primary goal or the HR head making Peoples goal as the primary goal. The
fissures that get created when these goals vie for primacy soon become fault
lines – that get formed at the top but soon trickle down the slope. The task of
holding all these goals together into the crucible of a broad spectrum
performance mindset is a rather tall ask. The exact opposite risk to this is
‘too much friendship’ at the top – a state where no one challenges each other’s
comfort and status quo. Kabeer writes at one instance about all of us being passengers
on a boat – a metaphor that the top of organisations must take inspiration from
if they would prefer to have alignment in its truest sense amongst themselves.
Kabeer hamara koi naahi, hum kahoo ke nahi,
Paar pahunche naav jyon, milke bichure jahi.
(No one is
ours and we are no one to others;
Like
passengers on a boat, we shall go our own ways (if we reach our destination)
Everyone
shall reach the destination if the boat reaches the destination – no one reaches
anywhere if the boat does not reach ashore. The alignment at the top must heed
to this wisdom. A fractured top is not only deeply damaging but also hopelessly
visible to the rank and file.
The second
kind of disarray is between the top and the bottom – irrespective of the
function. This usually happens after a prolonged corrosion of credibility. Over
a period of time the patterns of leadership behaviour like partiality,
inconsistency, self preservation, blame fixing, credit mongering, oscillating and
sometimes downright incompetence so on and so forth leads to the bottom of the
pyramid completely disillusioned. This lack of alignment is perhaps not even
visible to the leadership who remain baffled why all strategic initiatives
remain non starters. This is like the wheels of the chariot start questioning
the intent of the horses who they are supposed to follow – only in this case
the wheels have a mind of their own.
Finally
great alignment emerges from authenticity. In organisations we must always remind
ourselves of the difference between ‘Enrolment’ and ‘Conscription’ – the former
is voluntary while the latter is by force. True alignment is voluntary while we
only resist conscription of any kind. There is a greater probability of
widespread enrolment if the person espousing the cause is perceived as being
genuine an authentic. Unfortunately it is difficult to learn authenticity. The
popular narrative of management literature dumbs down all attributes of
leadership by presenting it as a ‘ten step guide’ – and consumers of leadership
literature start to believe that it can be ‘read and implemented’ in the manner
of other capabilities. It is the surest way of killing authenticity in the
leader. The rank and file ‘feels like following a leader’ when they know that
are getting what they are seeing. The followership and the alignment to the
cause is then intuitive and deeply felt. The greatest alignment emerges when
there is no difference between the leader and the led. They become one voice.
As Kabeer says of the state of complete alignment –
Mai Laaga us ek so, ek bhaya sab mahi
Sab mera main saban ka, tahan doosra nahi
(As I
become one with the larger purpose, I become the whole and the whole becomes
me)
Guru
(First published in the November Issue of 'Peoples Matter' )
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