Mis-Alignment Happens ... quietly

In the beginning, an organization was started by a small group of people passionate about the cause. The team was aligned around the a vision. Every resource supported the mission.

Over time, others joined. Some original members retired. Board members served and then moved on. New volunteers arrived. Some stayed. Staff grew and changed. The organization now includes both seasoned members and newcomers learning the mission for the first time.

Many champions don’t even know the story of how the mission began.

Plato once asked Socrates for his definition of wisdom. Socrates' answer,

"Awareness of ignorance is the beginning of wisdom."

You (and I) possess the Curse of Knowledge. Our cognitive bias assumes others share our  understanding. But we are unaware of what others don’t know.

And because of this, mis-alignment happens quietly.

A new staff member interprets the mission one way.

A board member brings a different set of assumptions.

A volunteer hears a story that leaves out key points.

Leaders assume everyone is operating from the same understanding.

When in reality, people are carrying different versions of what matters most right now.

This is why the strategic planning process matters.

Not as a bureaucratic exercise. Not as a binder on a shelf.

But as the shared story that brings everyone—newcomers and veterans—back into alignment.

A strategic plan clarifies what matters most right now.

It names the priorities that move the mission forward.

It creates a common language so your board, staff, and volunteers aren’t guessing at direction—they’re rowing together.

Alignment isn’t automatic. It’s cultivated.

The strategic planning process cultivates alignment.

If alignment has slipped—or even starting to—contact me. I'll show you how to restore clarity and get everyone moving forward together again.

To rowing in rhythm toward the mission,

Wes Legg

Strategic Plan Facilitator & Coach