Building Organizational Intention

Habits are a wonderful thing, until they aren’t. Unless we build the habit of intention, we will operate on instinct and autopilot, which isn’t always best. Making intentional choices and operating based on intention is a powerful way to get better results. We usually think of intention as an individual choice. However, organizational intention is a thing, and a powerful one at that. Here’s how you can build it.

But before I tell you how, let me describe what it is and why it is so important.

Organizational Intention?

Organizational purpose and strategy are often talked about, and both are important. In fact, they are inputs into organizational intention, which is something different.

Organizational intention is a collective, conscious, and deliberate approach to the common work and outcomes by all team members.

While it can become a cultural habit (with work processes to support it), it isn’t automatic. Organizational intention is created when actions and decisions are purposeful and aligned with the broader vision, goals, and strategies. It is the opposite of autopilot or “business as usual.”

Benefits of Organizational Intention

Having clear strategies, vision and organizational purpose are necessary, but incomplete. Without actions and decisions aligning with these factors, organizations will fall far short of their potential. When there is clear and effective organizational intention, there will be:

• Better collaboration.
• Less conflict.
• Greater confidence.
• More success/advancement towards goals.

Who doesn’t want more of these things?

How to Build It

Here are eight steps to creating organizational intention and gaining the benefits we’ve identified. 

1. Have a clearly stated purpose. This is the starting point for all organizational focus, effort, and team member commitment.
2. Create goals and strategies. These are the foundations for creating the intention and deliberate actions you want to create.
3. Align priorities to those goals and strategies. Make sure people see what is most important in their work based on these.
4. Create line of sight. Do people see how their work is aligned with goals and strategies? The more people see their efforts moving the needle toward success, the more likely they will support organizational intention.
5. Nurture clearer communication. This is required “downward” to help communicate the goals, etc. But as importantly, it is required “upward” so alignment can be assured, and “sideways” to build mutual understanding.
6. Make it an expectation. Let people know that consideration for how decisions and actions impact overall direction is an expectation. Make this both an individual and group expectation.
7. Build processes. A culture of organizational intention requires purposeful processes. Work with your teams to determine how they can best create processes that become healthy habits.
8. Reward it. If you want people to act with greater intention both individually and collectively, you must encourage and highlight these behaviors. And you must make it a part of reward and compensation decisions too.

It is time to raise organizational intention to the forefront of our thinking and cultural aspirations. If your organization or team isn’t achieving what you know is possible, perhaps this is the missing key to your success.