Leadership development – The cost of alignment

In the last couple of weeks, we have explored the case for alignment rooted in shared intent and/or complementary purpose. This week we will look at the cost of alignment. For all the benefits of working together, collaboration requires coordination and can be resource intensive.

We may have experienced the irritation of being copied into email streams that we do not feel we need to be or being invited to a meeting or events that are low on our personal priority list. We need to ensure that alignment is relevant and needed or it may become cumbersome and resented. Having a good understanding of the case for alignment, a clear rationale, supports us when the cost of alignment kicks in.

There are different types of symbiosis, ways of living alongside each other, and not all are equal. We have considered ‘competition’ – where entities compete to achieve the same goals independently, but as we have seen, there are circumstances in which competitors will align because achieving their shared goals is more likely together. We have considered ‘mutualism’ where there is a clear mutual exchange of benefit in a collaboration.

However, there are still other types of symbiosis, some one-sided and others plain risky putting one partner at a clear disadvantage or even in mortal peril. ‘Commensalism’ is where one entity benefits and to the other there is neither benefit nor determent. Sometimes we may choose to support another’s agenda, as we can see the benefit to them and it is of no significant detriment to us – a gesture of goodwill perhaps, something we might hope would be reciprocated in the grand scheme of things. There may be an opportunity cost to be considered, but life without charity or generosity would be pretty miserable.

Then there is ‘parasitism’, where the accumulative benefit to one is at the accumulative cost to another. Where the costs of a collaborative initiative seems to outweigh the benefit we need to be careful. Collaboration is resource intensive and where we find collaborations do not produce what we hope over time, a review may be necessary.

Click here to see examples of different types of symbiosis.

If you would like to discuss any of the above further or how to apply the Accord in Mission Framework in your organisation, please get in touch.

Next week we will look at the process to achieving alignment, including getting the right fit and terms.