Do I do what's right for me or do I do what's right for my team? Should I protect my team or do what's right for the whole company? Now, these are questions that I'm sure you've asked yourself. And there's no doubt in my mind that people on your team are asking themselves these questions from time to time. And how you handle these questions will make a huge difference in whether you deliver extraordinary results and your people experience fulfillment or that your results suffer and so does morale. If people answer these questions with ease and they don't have to choose, then everything goes well. Otherwise, it leads to silos, burnout, resentment, and division within your organization. In this video, I want to share with you three distinct aspects of creating what I call the magic of common objectives. I was first introduced to this term common objectives when I worked for Procter & Gamble where I spent the first 19 years of my career. The idea was that we ought to create common objectives between people and the company so they don't have to choose to do what's right for them or to do what's right for the company because Ultimately, if we don't have common objectives, at some point the person is going to do what is right for them, not for the company. This idea came in handy for me when I took over as a plant manager at a plant that was in real trouble. We were the worst in the company, our results were horrible, and our morale was worse. And we were able to take this plant from being the worst to the best within 18 months. We didn't bring in new equipment. We didn't make any significant changes out there. It was just a matter of creating common objectives in three different ways. The three dimensions of creating common objectives that I'm gonna go over in this video are the following. One, alignment with the company vision. Two, alignment between teams. And three, alignment with personal priorities and objectives. Now let's look at each one of these in practical terms. Alignment with the company vision. Now let's face it, a lot of vision statements are simply wall art. You know, we make the statement, we put it up on the wall, but people can't really articulate what is in our vision. What does it really feel like when we have arrived there? So it's really important to make sure that people can see themselves in that vision. If you have a vision for your company, if you've set goals for the company or your team, you want to make sure that people understand what it means to them. What does it feel like when we arrive in that place? Otherwise, it's something that is meaningless. You know, my priorities and what's really important to me or my team or in my personal life, is right in front of me, but I can't really relate to the company vision. But if you get me hooked on why that's important, then I can see the commonality between doing what's right for me and what is right for the company. What we did was that we made sure that our vision was inspiring. It was about something extraordinary that people could really get excited about. We made sure that it was specific and clear. Now, we didn't get there on day one, I have to admit. I made a few mistakes when we created our vision. It wasn't real clear to people, but we took the steps to make sure that they could really clearly see what it was all about. We made sure that our vision was inclusive, that it wasn't just for the operations people or the maintenance people or the finance people or this department or that department, that everybody could see themselves in that vision. It took some work to make sure that we communicated and we have enough conversations so that we get to that point where it is inclusive. And finally, we integrated that vision in everything that we did. Now, as I mentioned in a previous video, it's not about the big stuff. It's about the small stuff. It's not about creating the statement, putting it on the wall, but it's about those conversations to make sure that you are getting everybody calibrated and having them align themselves with the vision and creating a space where they can ask questions or they can bring up objections so that they can be resolved so that everybody can see themselves in that future. It's about having informal conversations. In meetings, in discussions, it's about referring to that vision, the various aspects of how we're going to operate and how things are going to be and bringing those into the moment. It is also really important to highlight wins and not just results, but behaviors that we see that align with the vision. Fan the flames, if you will, of something great that is going on, highlighted to acknowledge that this is exactly what we want, and there's going to be more of this in the future. Just as importantly, to acknowledge behaviors that are not in line with the company vision, results that are not in line with the company vision, so that over time, people get calibrated as to where we're going, how they fit into it, and how doing the right thing for the company is also good for them individually. The second dimension of creating common objectives is to create alignment between teams. The status quo in most organizations is every person in every department is clear about what it is that they need to deliver, and they couldn't care less about how it hurts somebody else. That's not the same in every organization, but I'm just highlighting that if you don't really manage this alignment between teams, that's where you end up. You're essentially sending a message that says, as long as you protect your turf and deliver your numbers, you're okay. This causes people not to really have a lot of energy to collaborate with one another and to create synergy. A few things that you can do to create alignment between teams is set multifunctional objectives. Yes, it's important for every person and every team to have their own goals, but make sure that you have multifunctional objectives that groups of people or number of teams are responsible for delivering. Prioritize horizontal accountability. If there is a multifunctional team that is working on a certain objective, then work on accountability for that team as a team, regardless of which department they belong to. so that everybody can't just protect their part of the work and feel like they can say, I did my part, even if the result is not achieved. Lastly, don't tolerate unhealthy competition and silo mentality. When people come to you and talk about somebody else that they're supposed to be collaborating with, yes, you can coach them, but ultimately hold that team of people accountable for working together and coming up with a multifunctional solution. I remember an experience in this plant that we turned around from the worst to the best where three very critical people who I called the three-legged stool for the organization were not working together. And as I reminded them often, if one of them, one of the legs of the stool wasn't there, the stool was not going to stand. But these three had a habit and a history of not working well together. So through a series of coaching conversations and group discussions, we were able to uncover what was leading them to not work together. And once we cracked the code on that, they truly became a team and made things happen. one of the things I would encourage you to do is look for those unsung heroes, those people who behind the scenes are facilitating collaboration and working together across boundaries, because often those people are a target and they become isolated because nobody likes them, right? Because people are in their function are saying, hey, what are you doing? You're protecting those people. And those other people are like, wait a minute, who's that guy? That person is in that other silo and so on and so forth. So they're really going out of their way and making sacrifices to create collaboration. So keep your eyes and ears open for those unsung heroes who are creating those common objectives and acknowledge them, recognize them. I'd encourage you to practice extreme empathy. Get in conversations with people and listen. Make sure that they feel safe to tell you what some of the issues are and what are some of the support needs that they have in order to create collaborative relationships, especially in organizations that have worked in silos for a long time. People may not be equipped with the right skills. So at times you may need to coach people individually. And lastly, promote abundance mentality. When people feel like there's scarcity and it's only so much to go around and either I can win or you can win, then the answer to this question of do I do what's right for me or the company? Do I do what's right for me or the other team? Is one of those that really takes its toll because they're gonna have to choose. But if there's an abundance mentality that says there's plenty for everyone, then it is easier to answer that question. We're not so worried about losing something if we help somebody else win. So every chance you get, promote an abundance mentality. Make sure that people know that the problems are our problems, that we are on the same side, invite them to participate. And when they deliver extraordinary results, celebrate the outcome, not just by recognizing the superheroes who fixed the problem, but all the people who were involved in coming up with a solution and implementing the solution. The third dimension of creating common objectives is alignment with personal priorities and objectives. Let's face it, everybody comes to work with certain aspirations and hopes, things that they need, whether it's skills that they want to get better at, certain rewards that they want to earn, whatever it is, they have a personal life, there are certain things that are important to them, and they bring them with themselves and yes, there's a give and take in some days doing whatever it takes to make things happen, even if I don't see the particular benefit in doing that work for myself. But over time, people ought to see an alignment between doing what's right for the company and for them personally. People ought to know that they are growing in their career, that they're being acknowledged, that they're making a difference in doing something that is important to them. What kills that alignment is if you only focus on compliance as opposed to commitment. You know, I need this from you and that's all that matters. And basically what you're doing is you're asking for the minimum that you need and you're not really trying to create an environment where people bring their full commitment, their full self. The other trap that leaders fall into is that they put a great deal of emphasis on extrinsic rewards. They feel like just because they pay somebody or give them some benefits that all of a sudden that person owes them commitment. No, they don't. Essentially, they owe you compliance and you have to earn their commitment. The best thing you can do is make sure that you treat people as whole persons, not just a piece of machine that is helping you deliver the results, make sure that you understand their hopes and aspirations and objectives. To a reasonable degree, find out what it is that they want out of this deal, right? Because it is what we used to call at P&G an adult business deal. People sign up to work for the company because they get a certain benefit and certain pay, and they promise to do certain kind of work. But how can we go beyond that? And as a leader, you ought to find out what that is. What is it that's important to people beyond just the pay and benefit? In what ways do they want to grow? What are their career aspirations? What opportunities could be created during the course of delivering extraordinary results? What is it that's important to them? You know, again, going back to the story of the plant that we turned around from the worst to the best, we had a vision that said we were going to be the showcase of excellence, and that is how we created alignment with the company. So what does it look like when we are showcase of excellence? Yes, we're delivering these kinds of results, but these are the ways in which we are going to transform the way we do our work, which is going to be good for us. We don't have to clear 55 jams every five minutes. We get to watch the machine run and do the kinds of things that really add value as opposed to clearing jams, for instance, on a production floor. And Showcase of Excellence was only a part of our vision. The second part of our vision, which really goes to creating alignment with personal priorities, was that we were going to be the cradle of prosperity. And what that meant was that we wanted people to see benefits in their personal lives as a result of being part of the team. So we launched several initiatives to make sure that we help people with their finances. You know, we brought education into the plant to make sure that people could manage their personal finances with their health, with their personal relationships. a number of initiatives that had nothing to do directly with delivering the results, but everything to do with making sure that people could see benefit in being part of the team for their families. My suggestion in operationalizing, if you will, this dimension of creating common objectives is be interested in people, develop relationships, learn about them, lead by principles, not just rules, that are implemented the same way across the board. Understand what's going on with a person and how the principles apply to that individual. Invest in people's growth and development, even if at times it slows down the immediate progress. Invest in people. And as much as possible, align roles with interests. Align people's roles with their strengths. Align people's roles with their strengths. In summary, this question of do I do what's right for me or the company, do I protect my team or act in the best interest of the whole company does not go away. But what you can do is make it a whole lot easier for people to answer that question and come up with something they can do that benefits them, their team, and the entire company. Create alignment with the company vision, create alignment between teams, and create alignment between the person's work and their personal life. I would invite you to take action this week on every one of those dimensions. If you have a company vision, bring it up in several meetings, create alignment, clarify for people what it means and how it actually benefits them when we achieve that vision. And finally, have some conversations individually with people to understand their hopes and aspirations and their objectives and inquire about their experience in how well that is aligned now with their work and how you can help them create that alignment. These few simple steps will make a huge difference if you stick with it and continue to practice it. The answer does not lie in some sophisticated process. It is about practicing these simple steps and applying these simple principles every day to create common objectives that will result in extraordinary outcomes and unprecedented fulfillment.

I often ask leaders to consider a deceptively simple question: Do I do what is right for me, what is right for my team, or what is right for the company? The same question is being asked by the people on their teams, whether we realize it or not.

When people are forced to choose, the result is often silos, resentment, burnout, and division. But when we create common objectives, people can see how doing what is right for themselves, their team, and the company can actually be the same thing. I first learned this concept at Procter & Gamble, and I later saw its power firsthand when I took over a plant that was the worst in the company. Within 18 months, we turned it into the best, without major equipment changes. A big part of that transformation came from creating alignment around common objectives.

I see three dimensions to creating this alignment. First, align people with the company vision. A vision cannot simply be something written on a wall. People need to understand what it means, what it will feel like when we get there, and how they see themselves in that future. The vision needs to be inspiring, specific, clear, and inclusive. Leaders create alignment through everyday conversations, by reinforcing behaviors that support the vision and addressing behaviors that don't.

Second, create alignment between teams. Without intentional intervention, departments naturally protect their own turf and their own numbers. We need multifunctional objectives, horizontal accountability, collaboration, and zero tolerance for unhealthy competition and silo mentality. We also need to recognize the unsung heroes who cross boundaries and bring people together.

Third, align people's work with their personal priorities and aspirations. People don't leave their hopes, ambitions, families, and personal goals at home when they come to work. If we want commitment rather than simple compliance, we have to understand what matters to people and help them see how being part of the organization benefits them. People need opportunities to grow, develop, make a difference, and achieve things that matter to them. In the plant I led, we didn't just strive to become a “showcase of excellence”; we also wanted to become a “cradle of prosperity,” helping people improve their finances, health, relationships, and lives beyond the workplace.

Ultimately, the fundamental tension doesn't disappear. People will always have competing priorities. But as leaders, we can make the choice much easier by creating alignment between the company vision, teams, and individual aspirations. This doesn't require a sophisticated process. It requires leaders to be genuinely interested in people, build relationships, invest in their growth, align roles with strengths and interests, and practice these principles every day. When we do that consistently, we create common objectives that can produce both extraordinary results and unprecedented fulfillment.

Key Points

People constantly face competing objectives: what is right for themselves, their team, or the company.
When people have to choose between those objectives, silos, burnout, resentment, and division are likely to follow.
Common objectives allow people to see that their personal success and organizational success can reinforce each other.
There are three dimensions of alignment: company vision, alignment between teams, and alignment with personal priorities.
A company vision should never become “wall art.” People need to understand and feel connected to it.
Recognizing behaviors that reinforce the vision helps people understand, “this is what we want more of.”
Organizations naturally drift toward silo behavior unless leaders deliberately create cross-functional objectives.
Horizontal accountability prevents people from saying, “I did my part,” when the overall result wasn't achieved.
Some of the most important collaborators are unsung heroes who work across boundaries and may even become targets because of it.
An abundance mentality makes collaboration easier because people stop seeing another team's success as their own loss.
People bring their hopes, aspirations, and personal priorities to work with them.
Employees may owe an organization compliance, but leaders have to earn commitment.
Leaders should understand what people want beyond compensation, including growth, career aspirations, meaningful work, and personal development.
Investing in people may sometimes slow immediate progress, but it creates long-term capability and commitment.
The goal is to create an environment where people can say, “What's good for me is also good for my team and the company.”

Quotes

“If we don't have common objectives, at some point the person is going to do what is right for them, not for the company.”
“A lot of vision statements are simply wall art.”
“People owe you compliance. You have to earn their commitment.”
“[Their] problems are our problems. We are on the same side.”
“If one leg of the stool isn't there, the stool is not going to stand.”
“Don't just recognize the superheroes who fixed the problem. Recognize everyone who helped create the solution.”
“Treat people as whole persons, not just [pieces] of a machine that is helping you deliver results.”
“If there's an abundance mentality, we are not so worried about losing something if we help somebody else win.”
“The answer does not lie in some sophisticated process. It is about practicing simple principles every day.”