Cascading/Alignment
To translate the organization-wide strategic plan (referred to as Tier I) down to first business units, support units or departments (Tier 2), and then teams or individuals (Tier 3). The end result should be focus across all levels of the organization that is consistently aligned with the organization's strategy.
• Alignment is when organizational structures, processes and systems support the strategy of the organization.
• An organization is strategically aligned when ALL EMPLOYEES UNDERSTAND WHAT THE ORGANIZATION IS TRYING TO ACCOMPLISH, make decisions and take actions based on that strategy, and align department and individual goals with higher level goals.
• Alignment is created when high-level strategy is cascaded first to business and support units and then to individual employees.
Cascading goes down flow from tier 1, and includes communication enterprise strategic intent clearly to units and employees, and determining How Each Unit, Team Or Individual Contributes To The Strategy With Specific Actions, Projects And Tasks.
Senior leadership must be clear on what alignment means at tier 2 before cascading can occur to the tier 3 individual or team level.
