Organizational Alignment: Student Workbook
Exercise 1: Alignment Assessment
Rate your organization on each dimension (1=Low, 5=High):
| Dimension | Score | Evidence | Gap |
|---|---|---|---|
| Strategic Clarity | ___ | People understand direction | |
| Structural Support | ___ | Design enables strategy | |
| Process Integration | ___ | Cross-functional coordination | |
| System Alignment | ___ | Rewards reinforce strategy | |
| Cultural Alignment | ___ | Values support strategy | |
| Talent Alignment | ___ | Right people in roles |
Biggest Alignment Challenge: _________________________________________________
Exercise 2: Strategic Clarity Audit
Walk through your organization and ask 5 random people: "What is our strategy and how does your work contribute?"
Summary of Responses:
Clarity Score: ___ out of 10
What would increase clarity?
Exercise 3: Organizational Design Assessment
Current Structure: _________________________________________________________
Strengths:
Weaknesses:
Alternative Design to Consider: __________________________________________
Pros and Cons:
Pros: ________________________________________________________________
Cons: ________________________________________________________________
Exercise 4: Culture Diagnosis
Organizational Heroes (people exemplifying culture):
- ___________________________ Exemplifies: __________________________
- ___________________________ Exemplifies: __________________________
Organizational Stories (oft-repeated stories):
What Values Do These Stories Reinforce?
Desired Culture vs. Actual Culture:
| Value | Desired Behavior | Actual Behavior | Gap |
|---|---|---|---|
Exercise 5: Talent Inventory
Mission-Critical Roles:
- ___________________________ Successor Ready? ___
- ___________________________ Successor Ready? ___
- ___________________________ Successor Ready? ___
High-Potential Talent:
- ___________________________ Development Needed: __________________________
- ___________________________ Development Needed: __________________________
- ___________________________ Development Needed: __________________________
Retention Risks:
- ___________________________ Risk Level: High/Medium/Low
- ___________________________ Risk Level: High/Medium/Low
Exercise 6: Alignment Roadmap
Priority 1: _____________________________________________________________
Current State: ________________________________________________________________
Desired State: ________________________________________________________________
Gap: ________________________________________________________________
First Actions:
Priority 2: _____________________________________________________________
Current State: ________________________________________________________________
Desired State: ________________________________________________________________
Gap: ________________________________________________________________
First Actions:
Key Insights
I will remember:
I will apply:
I will discuss with my team: