Your team is divided on the company's vision. How do you unite them towards a common goal?

Picture this, your team's vision is as fragmented as a dropped mirror, with each shard reflecting a different direction. To glue this corporate kaleidoscope back together, start by acknowledging the elephant in the room. Gather your troops for a no-holds-barred brainstorming session, where every idea, from the brilliant to the bizarre, gets its moment in the spotlight. Through open dialogue, creative problem-solving, and perhaps a dash of interpretive dance to represent each viewpoint, you'll gradually sculpt a shared vision that everyone can rally behind. Remember, united we stand, divided we fall, and nobody wants to tumble down the corporate ladder.

To unite a divided team, begin by acknowledging their concerns. When Satya Nadella became CEO of Microsoft, he faced a team with differing views on the company's direction. He created forums for open dialogue, allowing employees to voice their concerns and perspectives. Nadella listened actively, showing empathy and validating their experiences, which helped build trust. This approach reduced resistance and paved the way for finding common ground. As a result, Microsoft's culture shifted positively, contributing to a 300% increase in stock value during his tenure. By fostering a safe space for open dialogue and acknowledging diverse viewpoints, you can unite your team towards a common goal.

"Culture trumps strategy." This concept was elevated by Peter Drucker and continues to reverberate. From my own experience, I've seen (and have been part of) teams brought in to turn around a company. We have outstanding experiences, well-crafted strategies but struggle to implement. And when implemented, once we change, everything reverts back as quickly as a rubber band retracts after being pulled too taunt. The approach for creating a culture of trust is very different in an established and mature organization with a dominant culture versus one with an agile, ever-changing culture such as a startup. In an established culture, it's critical to identify the culture gate keepers, then to nurture them along, and to alignment.

Stupidity gets a vote. The saying goes like this, better to be silent and maybe look stupid rather than open your mouth and prove it. In that light - call a stupidity meeting. Not like “all meetings are stupid” - like “hey, let’s talk about the stupidity openly and expose it.” When you listen, you may be exposed to something that you didn’t know and it may change your perspective. When they listen, ensure you remain professional. Facts are facts. Feelings are feelings. And Forging cultures that work together, forges future wins (or it allows people who identify themselves as stupid).

To unite a divided team, clarity in defining the company's vision is essential. When Anne Mulcahy took over as CEO of Xerox, she faced significant internal division. Mulcahy articulated a clear vision for Xerox’s turnaround, breaking down the company's goals into actionable steps. She explained how each team member's role contributed to the overall success, fostering a sense of ownership and commitment. Her clear and resonant communication transformed the vision from a mere statement into a living ambition. As a result, Xerox successfully navigated its financial crisis and regained stability. By defining and communicating the vision clearly, you can inspire your team to unite towards a common goal.

People suck at this. Have a destination, then plan the trip there. Could you imagine getting on a train and going to an unknown location. No, you’re not a hobo. How about a ship, airplane, or a private jet? No again, time is money. Time is life. Yet people think going with the flow will somehow place them at the front of that flow. That rarely happens and then those people who “lead” the flow, don’t last. Here it is: A destination in the future is a vision. Decide where you want to be - figure out what it takes - plan your route with the expectation that there will be setbacks. And go!

Langfristiges Denken ist für den nachhaltigen Erfolg unerlässlich. Veränderungen sollten nicht nur kurzfristige Ziele, sondern auch langfristige Visionen berücksichtigen. Führungskräfte können dies erreichen, indem sie eine klare Roadmap erstellen, die langfristige Meilensteine und nachhaltige Praktiken beinhaltet. „Entwickeln Sie eine langfristige Roadmap, um sicherzustellen, dass Ihre Entscheidungen nachhaltig und zukunftsorientiert sind.“ Binden Sie die Mitarbeitenden in die Planung ein, lassen Sie sie teilhaben an der Entwicklung der Vision, damit wird es auch zu ihrer Vision.

I agree with all the various perspectives offered on this site regarding a company successfully fulfilling their vision and objectives, but to me there are only 2 that really matter the most: 1. The company needs to be able to clearly describe their vision and its goals and objectives for their future to its employees and the management team. 2. The company needs to always recognize and acknowledge and most importantly compensate properly their employees for their hard work, long hours, dedication and all the skills each of them brought to the table. Without their employees, the company can’t survive or accomplish their vision.

Identify the true 'why' behind the vision being communicated by each party. The deeper why is values based and values alignment leads to alignment in vision. Deepen communication around values until agreement is reached then cocreate the vision from this foundation. This requires open honest and clear communication and a shared goal of the highest benefit for all.

To unite a divided team, fostering inclusion is crucial. When Mary Barra became CEO of General Motors, she faced significant division within the company. Barra encouraged participation from all team members, actively seeking out diverse viewpoints. She implemented 'Speak Up for Safety,' a program that allowed employees to voice concerns and suggestions without fear of retribution. This approach empowered individuals and fostered a sense of belonging, leading to a 10% increase in employee engagement scores. By making sure everyone feels their input is valued, you can enrich discussions and align your team with the company's objectives, promoting a united front.

Diversität und Inklusion sind Schlüsselfaktoren für ein erfolgreiches Team. Führungskräfte sollten aktiv unterschiedliche Perspektiven einbeziehen und ein Umfeld schaffen, in dem sich jeder wertgeschätzt fühlt. Dies fördert kreative Lösungen und stärkt das Gemeinschaftsgefühl. „Fördern Sie eine Kultur der Diversität und Inklusion, indem Sie aktiv unterschiedliche Perspektiven einbeziehen und ein Umfeld schaffen, in dem sich jeder wertgeschätzt fühlt.“ Je mehr Perspektiven Sie im Team abholen und für die Vision heranziehen können, je breitet wird dies abgestützt sein. Natürlich gibt es klare Punkte, in welchen kein Entgegenkommen möglich ist aber es gibt auch Aspekte welche beweglich sind oder um welche eine Vision erweitert werden kann.

Make sure everyone's voice is heard and valued. Encourage team members to share their ideas and perspectives during meetings. Show appreciation for their contributions, and ensure that decisions reflect the diverse input from the team. I set up regular brainstorming sessions where everyone could share their thoughts without interruption. This not only made everyone feel included but also led to more creative and effective solutions

Inclusion is the cornerstone of a healthy culture to build thriving teams. Creating space for people to share their needs, voice their opinions, and contribute to the success is really key.

To foster inclusion and unite a divided team on the company's vision, it's essential to actively seek input from all team members. For instance, during a critical decision-making phase, we implemented a structured feedback process where every team member had the opportunity to contribute ideas and concerns. By creating an open and collaborative environment, we ensured that diverse perspectives were valued and integrated into our vision-setting process. This approach not only strengthened team morale but also cultivated a sense of ownership and commitment to achieving our common goals.

It has to be a win-win for all. To align your team with the company's vision, start by aligning their individual goals. Start by clearly communicating the vision and its importance. Involve the team in discussions about objectives to ensure everyone feels heard and valued. Identify shared values and objectives that resonate with all members. Set specific, measurable, and achievable goals that align with the vision and break them down into smaller tasks. Recognize and celebrate progress and milestones to boost the morale of the team. Lead by example, demonstrating commitment to the vision and showing how individual contributions support the overall goal.

Try to understand why your team is split. After that you may or may not have to work on defining your company’s goal. It is essential to clearly define the company goal and why and where every team member counts.

Die individuelle Entwicklung und Förderung der Teammitglieder ist entscheidend für den Erfolg der Unternehmensvision. Führungskräfte sollten gezielt in die Weiterentwicklung ihrer Mitarbeiter investieren, um deren Fähigkeiten zu stärken und ihre Bindung an die Vision zu fördern. „Investieren Sie in Schulungen und Entwicklungsmöglichkeiten für Ihre Teammitglieder, um deren Fähigkeiten zu stärken und ihre Ausrichtung auf die Unternehmensvision zu fördern.“ Durch die Integration dieser Aspekte in die Vision, erhält sie einen zusätzlichen Mehrwert für die Mitarbeitenden. Eines müssen Sie sich bewusst sein, egal wie loyal Mitarbeitenden sind, sie fragen sich auch immer: "Was ist dabei für mich drin?"

I organized a meeting to clearly communicate the company’s vision and how each team member’s work contributes to it. We then set team goals that directly supported the vision and aligned individual objectives with these goals, ensuring everyone knew their role in achieving the bigger picture. Regular check-ins helped us stay on track and focused on our common goal, fostering a sense of unity and purpose within the team.

To unite a divided team on the company's vision, aligning objectives is crucial to ensure everyone works towards the same goals. For example, when our team was divided on project priorities, we conducted individual meetings to clarify personal objectives and team goals. By discussing and aligning each member's objectives with overarching company goals, we created a unified focus and direction. This process helped streamline efforts, improve collaboration, and ultimately drive success towards achieving our shared vision.

Who cares if I win? Nobody normally. So fix it like this. Celebrate every win as soon as possible. This rewarding behaviors needs to be paired with the action it took to make the win happen. Not just a pat on the back. Not just some piece of paper. Not just an organization-wide announcement. Pair it with the work that was accomplished - or - it doesn’t work and the efforts will decrease…. Be the leader who cares and you will have more people care about what you think because you recognize excellence and you do it in a timely manner. This has proven effective for me and my leaders for 3 decades, in every level possible. Try it in your world and watch the wins come in

when my team achieved milestones or met targets aligned with our company's vision, I made sure to recognize and appreciate their efforts publicly. This could be through team meetings where I highlighted individual contributions, sending out congratulatory emails, or even organizing small celebrations like team lunches or social outings.

To unite a divided team on the company's vision, celebrating success and small wins is pivotal for maintaining morale and motivation. For instance, during a challenging project phase where team morale was low, we implemented a recognition program to acknowledge and celebrate small milestones and achievements. By regularly highlighting individual and team successes, we boosted morale, fostered a sense of accomplishment, and reinforced our collective commitment to achieving our shared vision. This positive reinforcement not only energized the team but also strengthened our resolve to overcome challenges together.

To unite a divided team, continuous communication is vital. When Howard Schultz returned as CEO of Starbucks, he emphasized the importance of transparent communication. Schultz maintained a steady flow of information about the company's progress, changes, and successes through regular meetings and updates. He encouraged feedback and was responsive to concerns, which helped rebuild trust and engagement within the team. This approach led to a 15% increase in employee satisfaction and a significant turnaround in company performance. By keeping communication channels open and transparent, you can foster trust and ensure that everyone remains engaged and motivated towards the common goal.

Talk about purpose and show that we can be aligned, yet different. - start sharing what the company’s vision means to you and how this relates to your purpose (exploring topics such as why do we exist? What is our most important impact? Can help here) - Encourage others to do the same, emphasising that there can be and will be different flavours of this - discuss as a team the commonalities and differences in your views on purpose and how this relates to the company. Maybe come up with a few purpose statements reflecting your drivers that reflect this collective view - keep showing how your work relates back to this. Talk about it in team meetings, celebrate successes, invite in customers and stakeholders to share what it means to them

As per my concern a team can become divided on a company's vision due to several factors: 1. Lack of Clarity 2. Misalignment with Personal Goals 3. Differing Values. 4. Poor Leadership. 5. Resistance to Change. 6. Communication Gaps. 7. Lack of Involvement. 8. Cultural Differences. Addressing these issues requires clear communication, inclusive leadership, and ongoing efforts to align team members with the company's vision.

As a leader understands the need desire and style of the employee also understands the working style he is strengths and weaknesses and agrees upon the mutual benefit for the win win situation in the negotiation Keep the communication longer with the right kind of empathy and honesty if the communication is longer than you have more time to understand and convey your message and create a Win Win situation #Leader #Leadership ##Negotiation #WorkingStyle

Align team talents around common goals. Recognize that different team members have diverse strengths and assign roles that leverage these strengths in pursuit of the shared vision. Constantly communicate the vision. Make sure the vision statement is clearly and frequently communicated throughout the organization to keep everyone focused on the end goal. Promote a culture of respect. Ensure that all team members feel valued and listened to, regardless of their role or position. Address conflicts effectively. Implement a system for managing disagreements and tensions within the team to maintain a cohesive work environment.

“Our customer writes our check” Focus all parties on their contribution to the customer experience. A happy customer buys again.