What Happens When Leaders Fail to Align Their Teams?
Most leaders think they're leading, but they're just managing chaos. They set goals, hold meetings, and push for results—yet their teams remain disengaged, projects stall, and decisions take too long. The problem? Lack of alignment, trust, and a clear leadership system.
In my latest interview with Gary White, former VP at Lowe's and Home Depot and now a successful consultant and executive coach, we unpack the hidden leadership blind spots that hold businesses back. Gary shares his experience leading massive teams, managing external partners, and shifting from corporate leadership to consulting.
"If you don't deliver results, look in the mirror first. Leadership starts with taking ownership."
3 Leadership Lessons from the Interview
1. Alignment is the Foundation of High-Performing Teams
Misaligned teams waste time, energy, and resources. When leaders fail to clearly define goals and roles, teams pull in different directions, leading to stalled projects and missed targets.
Pro Tip: Define a North Star goal that everyone understands. Make it simple, measurable, and repeat it constantly. Alignment isn't a one-time event—it's a daily habit.
Why This Matters: Aligned teams move faster, make better decisions, and innovate without friction. Leaders who prioritize alignment reduce turnover and increase execution speed.
What Happens If You Ignore This? Your best people leave. Your team operates in silos, and decision-making slows to a crawl, killing business momentum.
2. Trust Must Extend Beyond Your Internal Team
Most leaders struggle with leading people they don't directly manage, such as vendors, contractors, or external partners. Without trust, these relationships fall apart—and so do the results.
Pro Tip: Treat external partners as trusted collaborators, not transactions. Invest time in understanding their challenges, communicate transparently, and set mutual goals.
Why This Matters: Trust leads to better service, smoother operations, and stronger partnerships. Your influence expands beyond your direct reports, making you a true leader rather than just a manager.
What Happens If You Ignore This? External teams will prioritize their own agendas over yours, creating inconsistency, delays, and friction that damage your reputation.
"Clarity breeds confidence. If your team doesn't know exactly where they're going, they're already lost."
3. Decision-Making Must Be Fast AND Focused
Many leaders fall into decision paralysis, overanalyzing instead of acting. But waiting too long to make a decision is often worse than making the wrong one.
Pro Tip: Follow a structured decision-making process—identify the goal, gather 80% of the necessary data, assess the opportunity cost, and pull the trigger.
Why This Matters: Leaders who make confident, timely decisions create momentum. A team that sees quick, clear decision-making trusts leadership and moves faster.
What Happens If You Ignore This? Slow decisions frustrate teams, stall progress, and cause missed opportunities. Worse, teams lose confidence in leadership, leading to disengagement.
How This Aligns with the 4 Pillars of Leadership
Trust & Autonomy – Aligning teams and external partners fosters trust and accountability.
Communication & Transparency – Clear leadership communication reduces misalignment.
Growth & Innovation – Faster decision-making and alignment drive business acceleration.
Systems of Accountability – Defining priorities and tracking results keeps teams on course.
Ready to Lead with Confidence?
Empowering leaders starts with taking the first step. Here's how you can dive deeper into transforming your leadership:
Download my book, 'Lead With Confidence', and discover the four bold steps to empower your leadership, build trust, and drive sustainable success.
Schedule a value call to get actionable insights—focused solely on adding value, not a sales conversation.
Listen to my podcast, 'The Next Interview,' for insider strategies from top leaders who know what it takes to empower teams and scale businesses.
Let's empower your leadership journey together! 🚀
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