Last month, I wrote about the importance of systems—and the role they play in achieving meaningful goals. This post builds on that idea, but zooms out to something just as critical: alignment.
(If you missed January’s post, it’s worth a read for context.)
Recently, I finished the book American Icon, which tells the story of Ford’s remarkable turnaround under CEO Alan Mulally. What struck me most wasn’t the brilliance of the strategy. It was how simple—and how relentlessly consistent—his focus was.
Mulally summed up Ford’s entire turnaround with two words: One Ford.
That idea was broken down into three parts:
- One Team
- One Plan
- One Goal
That’s it.
No binders. No buzzwords. No competing priorities.
Everything—on just two pages—pointed in the same direction, and it was reinforced over and over again.
One Team
One Team meant eliminating silos and internal competition. Leaders weren’t allowed to optimize their department at the expense of the company. Success was no longer defined by my division winning, but by Ford winning.
One Plan
The One Plan was a clear, four-point strategic plan that everyone could understand and repeat. There were no parallel strategies or side projects. If something didn’t fit the plan, it didn’t get done.
One Goal
And then there was the goal, stated simply and consistently:
“An exciting, viable Ford delivering profitable growth for all.”
Every decision and discussion was measured against that goal. It’s hard to drift when the destination is that clear.
What really surprised me was how fiercely Mulally protected the weekly Business Plan Review (BPR) meeting.
Early on, one senior executive told Mulally he didn’t have time to attend the meeting every week.
Mulally’s response was calm and direct:
“You don’t have to come.”
Pause.
“But if you want to work here, you do.”
That moment says everything.
The meeting wasn’t optional because alignment isn’t optional. Visibility isn’t optional. And rowing in the same direction doesn’t happen by accident.
The BPR wasn’t about status updates. It was about truth. Red wasn’t bad—it was necessary. Problems surfaced early, openly, and without blame. Over time, that discipline created trust, momentum, and real progress.
Most leadership teams don’t struggle because they lack intelligence, experience, or effort. They struggle because:
- Too many priorities compete for attention
- Meetings get skipped when things feel “busy”
- Teams are rowing hard—but not together
Simplicity takes courage. Discipline takes leadership.
When everyone understands the plan, commits to the cadence, and measures success the same way, something powerful happens: momentum replaces friction.
So the question worth sitting with is this:
Are the people on your leadership team truly rowing in the same direction—or just rowing harder in different ones?