For decades, business leaders have understood (at least in theory) that alignment drives execution. Yet fewer than 25% of executives believe their organisations are truly aligned. That’s alarming when alignment is among the strongest predictors of execution speed, innovation, and sustainable performance.
The term “alignment” is back in boardroom conversations. The resurgence is not just a coincidence; the rapid emergence of AI fuels it. Leaders realise that if AI is to deliver real value, it must be strategically aligned to business objectives and focused on where it can create the most significant impact.
The Alignment Confusion Problem
Ask 10 leaders to define “alignment” and you may hear 10 different answers. Some think of it as “everyone knowing the strategy,” others as “clear communication,” and some as “team collaboration.” Few define alignment holistically across Strategy, People, Process, Systems, and AI.
Alignment can be relatively contained within a single project, but it can also be vertical (from board to frontline) or horizontal (across departments and functions) within an organisation. The key is quantifying the tangible benefit, higher productivity through reduced or avoided costs, increased revenue through new opportunity identification, and greater targeted reach.
Misalignment is often invisible until something goes wrong, a failed transformation, a delayed product launch, or a missed growth target. When leaders investigate, it’s often revealed as the root cause. It tends to appear as execution gaps:
- Slow or circular decision-making
- Teams are overwhelmed by too many priorities
- Stakeholders are unclear on what matters most
- Strategic drift or delayed market delivery
Why Alignment Comes First
Matt Caiola, in his article AI Isn’t Just a Shiny Object, advises:
“Before adopting any AI solution, CEOs should ask what problem they’re solving. Is it customer engagement? Operational efficiency? Personalisation at scale? Until you can answer those questions, AI adoption is unlikely to yield a sustainable impact.”
This reinforces the principle that AI must be aligned first with business objectives and then applied in the areas where it will generate the most significant impact. Without that foundation, even the most advanced AI capability will fail to deliver lasting value.
Traditional Alignment vs. the A2A Approach
Most alignment efforts are ad-hoc, reactive, and focused on a single dimension — structure, process, or people. Aligned to Achieve (A2A) takes a different approach:
- Board-to-Frontline Scope – Measures and manages alignment from governance level to day-to-day activities.
- Four-Step Methodology – Define Goals, identify Blockers, select Strategies, and agree on Activities that directly contribute to removing blockers or achieving goals.
- Cultural Shift: Build a “culture of alignment” where everyone sees how their work connects to organisational objectives.
- Proactive Use – Applied at the start of significant projects, strategy refreshes, or transformation programs — not just when problems appear.
The result is a common language and a shared view of priorities, removing the guesswork and siloed thinking that slow execution.
From Alignment to Acceleration — The AI Enablers Overlay
Once alignment is established — with shared goals, understood blockers, and agreed strategies — the next challenge emerges: delivering these priorities faster, with fewer resources, and at lower risk.
This is where A2A’s AI Enablers come in. Rather than being a standalone toolkit, the AI Enablers are designed to sit directly on top of the A2A board process, enhancing it with 52 curated AI capabilities that can be applied to:
- Goals – e.g., KPI Maturity Estimation, Performance Trend Detection, to track real-time progress.
- Blockers – e.g., Workflow Automation, Resource Optimisation to remove bottlenecks.
- Strategies – e.g., Predictive Analytics, Trade-Off Analysis to improve decision quality.
- Activities – e.g., Smart Scheduling, Document Classification to increase execution speed.
The “Fast Forward” Effect
AI Enablers don’t replace alignment — they multiply its impact. A2A ensures the organisation points the ship in the right direction; AI Enablers ensure it gets there quickly and precisely.
Each AI Enabler card contains:
- A generalised AI capability
- Key benefits and potential ROI
- Potential risks to watch for
- Example use cases to spark discussion
The process is simple:
- Complete A2A Alignment – Goals, blockers, strategies, and activities are agreed upon.
- Introduce AI Enablers – Teams identify where AI could accelerate, scale, or enhance execution.
- Evaluate Value vs. Risk – Benefits are weighed against potential risks.
- Integrate into the Action Plan – AI-enabled activities are embedded into the strategic roadmap.
AI Enabler Examples
Strategic / Transformation:
- Predictive Analytics to forecast market shifts.
- Workflow Automation to reduce process bottlenecks.
- Natural Language Processing to speed compliance reviews.
Operational:
- AI Chatbots for faster customer response.
- Demand Forecasting for more innovative inventory planning.
- Automated Reporting to free up management time.
Why AI Doesn’t Replace Alignment
AI applied to misaligned goals produces misaligned results faster. The real value lies in using AI as a force multiplier — not as a substitute for shared understanding and commitment.
The A2A + AI model ensures that technology investment is applied where it matters most, based on agreed priorities, and supported by cross-functional buy-in.
The Alignment Renaissance
We are entering a phase where alignment is no longer “nice to have;” it’s a competitive necessity. The winners will not be the most prominent organisations but those that are most aligned, agile, and intentional about applying AI to deliver results.
If your organisation is about to launch a transformation, refresh a strategy, or embed AI into its operations, start with alignment.
We’d be delighted to explore how an A2A workshop enhanced with AI Enablers could help you accelerate your success.