In 1997, Labovitz and Rosansky1 published a groundbreaking book titled The Power of Alignment. The authors defined alignment as an optimal organizational state in which strategy, people, customers, key processes, and leadership work in concert to propel growth and performance.1 Contending that alignment focuses people and their efforts toward achieving key goals independent of hierarchy, this book became an immediate "best seller," emphasizing that to be extraordinary, companies and their leaders must remain centered and distribute authority, information, and knowledge to effectively deploy strategy. Interest in the Labovitz and Rosansky concept of alignment extended beyond the corporate world and was even adopted by the US military. In 2001, when Admiral Vern Clark became Chief of US Naval Operations, he made alignment one of his top priorities. In fact, Admiral Clark made The Power of Alignment1 required reading for every admiral in the US Navy. Arguing that, in his business, second place is considered a terminal disease and misalignment is too costly an option, he used alignment as a driving force to enhance teamwork and performance. Under Admiral Clark's leadership and with his focus on alignment, the US Navy underwent one of the most significant and successful organizational transformations in its 200-year history.2
To date, many Fortune 500 companies have adopted The Power of Alignment to achieve and sustain extraordinary results. Much like the military, health care is one of those industries where lack of focus can be catastrophic; thus, the principles that Labovitz and Rosansky first outlined in 19971 continue to be relevant and are widely expanded and implemented today.2
PURPOSE
The purpose of this Nursing Administration Quarterly (NAQ) themed issue on "The Power of Alignment" has its genesis in the work of Labovitz and Rosansky and showcases applications of alignment principles in health care settings, including academic institutions, professional membership organizations, and in acute, ambulatory, and community practice environments. "The Power of Alignment" within this NAQ issue illustrates the synergy of coming together with others internally and externally to promote the value of the nursing profession. When alignment is at the full organizational level, the power is impressive. On the contrary, it is possible to align a portion of an organization and make equally impactful changes on a smaller level.
APPLICATION
The issue includes national, state, local, and organizational collaborations that produce greater effects and more positive outcomes than would be likely if such intense partnership had not existed. Given that measurement and technology represent powerful tools for becoming and remaining aligned, the articles showcased in this issue also report metrics that document critical success indicators and could be replicated.
As in a symphony, each element (instrument) has an important role to play. If we listened to a symphony in which only violas were played, the music might be pleasing and we would welcome the performance. But, think how much richer that experience is when the other strings join in and then the woodwinds, brass, and percussion add depth. The effect can be overpowering. Moreover, while musicians can listen to each other and stay in rhythm and in tune, the ease with which a symphony can be performed is enhanced when a conductor sets the pace, cues different performers, and alters the original plan on the basis of such factors as the performance venue or the acoustics. Similarly, nurse leaders can create the harmony that exists when multiple groups pull together to create a unified whole.
Thus, alignment cannot begin without senior leadership first. It, however, is not sustainable without multiple forces coalescing and focusing to achieve a common goal. Nurse executives reading this issue, and the various examples presented, will readily appreciate that although alignment may begin with top executives, leaders at all levels of the organization are needed to sustain long-term success. According to Labovitz and Rosansky,1,2 having leaders at all levels refers to distributed leadership and entails investment in development to produce capable leaders in different units at every level of the organization. Leaders at all levels are then empowered and knowledgeable about what must be done to produce the remarkable results reported in this NAQ issue. To maximize the power of partnerships and alignment not only requires the stars to be in unison, but also demands strategy, people, customers, key processes, and leadership to operate in synchrony.
-Ray Perryman, PhD
President
The Perryman Group
Waco, Texas
-Maria R. Shirey, PhD, MBA, MS, RN, NEA-BC, ANEF, FACHE, FAAN
Professor and Assistant Dean
Clinical and Global Partnerships
The University of Alabama at Birmingham
-Patricia S. Yoder-Wise, EdD, RN, NEA-BC, ANEF, FAAN
Professor and Dean Emerita
School of Nursing
Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center
President, The Wise Group
Lubbock, Texas
REFERENCES