What It Means To Be ‘Aligned’ In CRE and How To Achieve It

In commercial real estate, 'alignment' frequently surfaces in teamwork and goal-setting discussions. But what connotations does being aligned in CRE carry ?

Let's dig into the essence of alignment within a CRE business framework and explore key considerations and strategies for achieving alignment among all your organization's team members.

 

1. Alignment defined: The core of team synergy

'Alignment' in CRE represents a collective mindset where every team member understands and supports the organization's objectives, values, and ethics. In other words, ensuring everyone is operating on the same wavelength and that what matters to employees lines up with what the organization stands for.

A well-aligned team comprehensively understands overarching goals, whether in a venture, project, or campaign. This clarity extends to knowing the 'what,' 'how,' and 'why' of objectives, fostering a shared vision.

Moreover, alignment manifests when members work in unison, lifted to their potential by a positive spirit. This accord is further cemented by open, efficient, and high-quality communication, which is both professional and friendly.

 

2. The business impact of alignment

The benefits of alignment in a CRE business are multifaceted, and it's a strategic imperative that drives business success on multiple fronts:

• Enhanced team cohesiveness and efficiency: Aligned teams understand their roles and contributions to broader objectives, fostering a cohesive and efficient work environment.
• Boosted morale and productivity: Alignment creates a sense of belonging and purpose among team members, supporting optimal and sustained productivity, innovation, and morale.
• Attraction and retention of talent: An aligned organization attracts and retains top talent, enabling resilient team building and development in a competitive labor market.
• Reduction in conflicts and miscommunications: Aligned goals and clear communication reduce conflicts and misunderstandings, especially in complex projects involving multiple stakeholders.
• Improved decision-making and risk management: Aligned teams make more informed decisions, achieve ideal outcomes, and minimize financial and legal exposure.
• Enhanced client satisfaction and loyalty: Consistent service and project execution increase client satisfaction, improving retention, goodwill, and referrals.
• Strategic agility and market responsiveness: An aligned organization responds swiftly to market changes, allowing it to pivot quickly to embrace emerging opportunities and enact contingency plans to sidestep risk.

 

When teams are geared toward a common goal, they experience outstanding efficiency, progress, and strength in their competitive advantage. The shared focus ensures every team member comprehends the project's objectives, the path to achieving them, and time, operational, cultural, and budgetary constraints.

Yet, the ripple effect of alignment in CRE of alignment in CRE extends beyond internal operations. It influences client relationships, stakeholder confidence, and the overall market perception of a company. When a team is aligned, it consistently delivers on promises, maintains a high standard of service, and adapts swiftly to market changes, enhancing client returns, trust, and satisfaction.

Furthermore, alignment contributes significantly in risk management. Aligned teams are better equipped to anticipate, evaluate, and mitigate risks, ensuring the longevity and stability of projects and investments. This proactive approach to risk management is particularly vital in CRE, where market volatility and regulatory shifts are frequent.

 

3. Strategies for achieving alignment

It's helpful to apply a combination of different strategies to reach alignment in commercial real estate operations. Here are a few practical approaches that will bring your teams together and steer them toward shared success:

 

Establishing organizational values and expectations

This includes regular team meetings and quarterly events that foster camaraderie, community engagement, and recognition of individual and group achievements.

Integrative process

Borrowing from sustainable design, the integrative process involves bringing all stakeholders together at the project's inception (and across the project life cycle) to encourage open contribution and discussion.

Transformational leadership

Leaders in CRE must inspire and motivate their teams, guiding them toward the organization's vision while fostering a supportive, inclusive, and innovative environment in which to work and create.

Objectives and key results (OKRs)

Implementing OKRs is pivotal in setting clear, measurable goals that align and connect teams to work collaboratively towards these objectives. This enhances transparency and accountability and ensures that every team member understands their role in contributing to the broader vision and success of the organization.

Leveraging technology

Utilizing cloud-based asset and project management software technology enhances visibility and situational awareness, allowing team members to access data, understand performance metrics, and identify optimization opportunities. This technology also facilitates seamless collaboration across departments, properties, and locations.

Cultivating a culture of continuous improvement

In pursuing alignment, fostering a culture of continuous improvement is essential. This involves regular feedback loops, performance reviews, and opportunities for professional development. Organizations ensure their teams are aligned and adapting to new challenges and opportunities by encouraging a growth mindset.

 

Looking ahead

As we venture forward in the commercial real estate sector, alignment within our teams is an operational necessity. It's the foundation upon which successful enterprises are built and transforms individual efforts into collective wins. Embracing these strategies, we achieve alignment and sustain it, ensuring our teams always move together toward shared goals and ambitions.

Let's commit to fostering alignment — our most significant successes lie in unified efforts.

 

Learn more strategies to enhance leadership and performance in my WSJ Bestseller, Beyond The Building.