Newsletter #26. Align Your Team and Culture
Peak Performance Leader Newsletter - Week 26
Align Your Team and Culture – Why Direction Alone Is Not Enough
🔵 Note from Phil
I know not everyone reading this has a formal team at work. But alignment still matters.
Think about the people you lead, support, or influence—your family, close friends, colleagues, or encouragers.
Your “team” might be broader than you think. And the principles in this week’s message still apply.
👉 See the PS at the end for a quick takeaway if you’re leading in a more personal or informal setting.
Everyone on Board, but Heading in Different Directions?
You’ve clarified the vision. Momentum is returning.
But something’s still off.
It’s not disengagement. Your team is working hard.
The issue is that they’re not working in sync.
Priorities are interpreted differently
Communication feels fragmented
Decisions are made in isolation
Culture shifts depending on who’s in the room
This isn’t a failure of leadership. It’s a clarity gap.
And that gap will only grow if it’s not addressed with intention.
Clarity Creates Unity
Alignment doesn’t happen just because people are talented or collaborative.
It happens when values, goals, and expectations are clearly communicated and consistently modeled.
You’re not just responsible for direction.
You’re also responsible for culture.
The tone you set, the language you use, and the behaviors you reward shape how your team operates.
When alignment is present:
Decisions are faster
Conflict is lower
Energy is focused
Wins are shared
When it’s missing, even simple tasks feel heavy.
What Alignment Actually Looks Like
Alignment is more than agreement.
It shows up in behavior.
Your team is aligned when they:
Know where the organization is heading
Understand how their role contributes
Share common values in how the work gets done
Feel empowered to act, not just follow instructions
True alignment is visible when people take initiative that reflects your mission and values without needing constant oversight.
3 Questions That Expose Alignment Gaps
If you sense misalignment, begin here:
Are our values being lived out daily?
Values on the wall are easy. Values in meetings, decisions, and interactions are what matter.Do we agree on what matters most right now?
If your team had to name this quarter’s top three priorities, would their answers match yours?Are our systems reinforcing the culture we want?
You can’t build trust in a structure built on micromanagement.
Systems should reflect and support your values, not contradict them.
How to Begin Aligning Team and Culture
Step 1: Clarify your core values and leadership expectations
Simplify them. Make them memorable and actionable. Model them consistently.
Step 2: Share the vision again
If it’s not repeated, it’s forgotten. Unity grows through repetition.
Step 3: Invite honest feedback
Ask where alignment feels unclear. Create space for reflection without defensiveness.
Step 4: Celebrate the right things
What you recognize gets repeated. Culture follows reinforcement.
Biblical Wisdom on Unity
Psalm 133 paints a compelling picture.
Unity is good. Unity is pleasant.
It doesn’t mean uniformity. It means shared purpose and mutual trust.
When your team and culture align, work becomes more than execution.
It becomes a mission shared together.
Your Leadership Challenge This Week
✅ Write down your top 3 cultural values
✅ Ask your team how they would describe your culture
✅ Identify one area where alignment needs repair
✅ Have one conversation that moves culture in the right direction
Want to Rebuild Alignment With Greater Clarity?
If your team is working hard but not working together, the issue may not be effort.
It might be clarity.
At The Clear Path Workshop: Clarity, Conviction & Confidence for Purpose-Driven Leaders, coming up August 18 and 19, we’ll walk through how to align your team’s culture with your mission, equip them to move in unity, and lead forward with confidence.
🎯 Register now: philroutly.com/workshop
You’ve come too far to lead alone. Alignment begins with clarity.
Let’s build it together.
On your side,
Phil
🔵 PS – Who’s on your team, really?
Even if you’re not managing employees, you’re still leading someone.
Your team might be your spouse, a small group, clients, board members, prayer partners, or those who look to you for guidance.
Where is alignment breaking down there? And what one small step could bring greater unity, clarity, and purpose?
