Hey there,
Last week, we focused on clarifying expectations—making sure every person knows which numbers they’re responsible for this quarter.
But here’s the key to turning those expectations into results:
You have to give people the tools to succeed.
That means giving them more than goals. It means giving them strategy—a clear plan for how they’ll get there.
That’s why Step 2 in building an execution rhythm is:
Give the Team the Tools.
And in Align, those tools are called Priorities.
Tools = Strategy
The real work starts before the quarter begins. Spend 1-2 hours to set yourself up for success (and time saved) throughout the quarter:
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Your leadership team aligns on the most important outcomes.
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You define the strategies that will drive those outcomes.
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You share the plan with your team in an all-hands meeting.
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Then each manager has a 1:1 with their team to answer the big question:
“How will you help make this happen?”
Those strategies become the roadmap.
Align makes them visible and trackable.
Priorities in Align: Strategy on Display
Think of your Company Priorities as strategic bets. They should clearly support the numbers you must hit—across revenue, margin, retention, or whatever else matters this quarter.
It’s not just about listing the goal. It’s about showing the how.
Instead of:
“Hit $2M in revenue.”
Try:
“Generate 500 leads from 2 new outbound campaigns to help hit $2M in revenue by Q3.”
With a description: “So that we build pipeline early and reduce end-of-quarter pressure.”
That’s strategy your team can act on.
Align Everyone: Every Person Should See Where They Fit
Expectations aren’t just company-wide—they’re personal.
Every individual in your org owns numbers too. And each of them should be working on at least one Personal Priority that supports the bigger plan.
This is how you create alignment across teams, roles, and departments.
And it’s how people stay connected to the outcome all quarter long.
Keep the Strategy Moving with the Right Type of Priority
Execution slows down when strategy isn’t structured. Here are three ways to build momentum inside a priority—choose the one that fits the work:
1. Milestones
Use these when progress happens in phases. Think: “Design complete,” “Prototype tested,” “Launch delivered.” Use a Task-Driven priority to create the Milestones.
2. Weekly Tasks (Task-Driven Priority)
Use these when you need steady, week-by-week progress. The sweet spot? One task per week—12 tasks per quarter. They keep your team moving consistently.
3. Leading Indicators (Number-DrivenPriority)
Use these when the work is ongoing and performance needs to be tracked in real time. These priorities include a dynamic KPI that should trend upward over the quarter—like “# of demos booked,” “# of qualified leads,” or “Response time under 2 hours.”
Every one of these helps your team stay aligned to the strategy and accountable for moving it forward.
Final Thought:
This step may be the toughest. But it’s the most powerful.
When your team understands the expectations and has the strategy to achieve them, you don’t just get buy-in—you get real, measurable progress.
Align won’t do the thinking for you. But once your plan is set, it keeps everyone aligned, focused, and moving forward.
Next week, we’ll finish this series with Step 3: Hold People Accountable—and how Align helps make that part easy, transparent, and consistent.
