strategic-alignment

name	strategic-alignment
description	Manage — Cascades strategy from boardroom to individual contributor. Detects and fixes misalignment between company goals and team execution. Covers strategy articulation, cascade mapping,
license	MIT
metadata	{"version":"1.0.0","author":"Alireza Rezvani","category":"c-level","domain":"strategic-alignment","updated":"2026-03-05T00:00:00.000Z","python-tools":"alignment_checker.py","frameworks":"alignment-playbook"}
executor	HYBRID
skill_id	business.c-level-advisor.strategic-alignment
status	ADOPTED
security	{"level":"standard","pii":false,"approval_required":false}
anchors	["business","management"]
tier	2
input_schema	[{"name":"code_or_task","type":"string","description":"Code snippet, script, or task description to process","required":true}]
output_schema	[{"name":"plan","type":"string","description":"Strategic plan or design document"},{"name":"next_steps","type":"array","description":"List of recommended next steps"}]

Strategic Alignment Engine

Strategy fails at the cascade, not the boardroom. This skill detects misalignment before it becomes dysfunction and builds systems that keep strategy connected from CEO to individual contributor.

Keywords

strategic alignment, strategy cascade, OKR alignment, orphan OKRs, conflicting goals, silos, communication gap, department alignment, alignment checker, strategy articulation, cross-functional, goal cascade, misalignment, alignment score

Quick Start

python scripts/alignment_checker.py    # Check OKR alignment: orphans, conflicts, coverage gaps

Core Framework

The alignment problem: The further a goal gets from the strategy that created it, the less likely it reflects the original intent. This is the organizational telephone game. It happens at every stage. The question is how bad it is and how to fix it.

Step 1: Strategy Articulation Test

Before checking cascade, check the source. Ask five people from five different teams: "What is the company's most important strategic priority right now?"

Scoring:

• All five give the same answer: ✅ Articulation is clear
• 3–4 give similar answers: 🟡 Loose alignment — clarify and communicate
• < 3 agree: 🔴 Strategy isn't clear enough to cascade. Fix this before fixing cascade.

Format test: The strategy should be statable in one sentence. If leadership needs a paragraph, teams won't internalize it.

• ❌ "We focus on product-led growth while maintaining enterprise relationships and expanding our international presence and investing in platform capabilities"
• ✅ "Win the mid-market healthcare segment in DACH before Series B"

Step 2: Cascade Mapping

Map the flow from company strategy → each level of the organization.

Company level:  OKR-1, OKR-2, OKR-3
    ↓
Dept level:     Sales OKRs, Eng OKRs, Product OKRs, CS OKRs
    ↓
Team level:     Team A OKRs, Team B OKRs...
    ↓
Individual:     Personal goals / rocks

For each goal at every level, ask:

• Which company-level goal does this support?
• If this goal is 100% achieved, how much does it move the company goal?
• Is the connection direct or theoretical?

Step 3: Alignment Detection

Three failure patterns:

Orphan goals: Team or individual goals that don't connect to any company goal.

• Symptom: "We've been working on this for a quarter and nobody above us seems to care"