Aligned Flexibility

Here I am introducing a concept called 'Aligned Flexibility':

Aligned flexibility is having strategic alignment and operational flexibility.

Think of aligned flexibility as what happens in a football team. For every match the team has a clear goal: score more goals and defend their goal post. They have clarity about their strategy for the match, based on which they deploy the players for the offensive and defensive positions. Now, when the team gets into the game, there is a great deal of operational flexibility. The players dodge, pass and strike, responding spontaneously to what emerges in the field. They are translating the strategy into action, and playing within the rules of the game. They have goal clarity, alignment at the strategy level and a high degree of operational freedom.

Successful business organizations are not much different from winning football teams. They are characterized by aligned flexibility.

Aligned flexibility makes it possible for organizations to respond quickly to changes in their operating environment.