When we pose the question “what is the biggest challenge you face in your organisation” the number one response is “working together to get things done!”
 

In today’s more streamlined organizations, leaders and managers must build relationships that thrive in diverse work environments from in-house teams to virtual or geographically dispersed colleagues. Influencing their organization, building stakeholder alliances through reciprocity, expertise and persuasion, and engaging in constructive conversations to surface barriers to success are now critical core competencies.

The Working Through Others (WTO) simulation is a dynamic, computer-based learning experience that delivers valuable tools and techniques to promote consensus, influence others and build relationships to engage in more constructive conversations in order to reach solutions to daily problems. It also emphasizes the need to manage and motivate for long-term results. WTO offers a unique opportunity to learn and practise these competencies in a realistic business setting and receive qualitative and quantitative performance feedback.

Learning Objectives:

• Learn four influence techniques (developing credibility, leveraging reciprocity, persuasion and goal alignment) to increase positive nature of relationships

• Analyze stakeholders to identify & use appropriate influence technique(s)

• Develop and use credibility, reciprocity, persuasion and goal alignment, to achieve your goals

• Craft and deliver a persuasive argument and build & use a “personal bank account” with others

• Recognize and use various sources of influence power to achieve your goals.

Simulets are bite-sized learning modules. WTO consists of 4 bite-sized simulets that can be taken together, singularly or selectively combined based on targeted learning outcomes.

This is Simulet 4 of WTO: Goal Alignment, which can logically be done after Simulet 3: Communicating Through Persuasion, Simulet 2: Reciprocity and Simulet 1: Developing Credibility, or as a standalone module.

Simulet 4: Goal Alignment

n  Securing Manufacturing’s Cooperation

n  Avoiding Internal Conflicts

n  Competing for Resources

n  One Last Bout

 

In this simulet, you will focus on one of the four key influence competencies. Along with reciprocity, persuasion and credibility, goal alignment completes the four key drivers of Working through Others.

Goal alignment is an influence tool that links an individual’s goals with those of others, including the team and organisation, to achieving a desired outcome.  It visibly and behaviourally demonstrates your alignment with the goals of others including teams and the larger organisation. This contributes to building credibility and persuasion.

Though the benefits of effective goal alignment are many, it is important to recognize those with the greatest impact on working through others:

n  Improves and accelerates decision-making and conflict resolution.

n  Fosters and enhances relationship building.

n  Creates ownership of issues and success in outcomes resulting in more engaged employees and increased retention rates.

At an organizational level, goal alignment allows for supporting others and influencing outcomes. At its best, it supports team and organizational agility in getting things done faster and more efficiently.