Align Yourself For Success

Three organizational identities - strategic, behavioral, and visual/verbal - provide the foundation for future success.

Organizational personalities are a lot like human personalities.

Human personalities have three elements: id, ego, and super-ego. The constant back and forth of these three elements shapes our personality. These elements define how we think, the decisions we make, and how we see with the world.

Launching a company requires a clear, identifiable position in the marketplace. Getting this right at the start of your company will save you time, money, and frustration as you launch the business. Your company's positioning starts with the three elements that define organizational personalities:

1. Strategic identity, which is what the organization aspires to be through its mission, vision, and values
2. Behavioral identity, which is how the organization acts and behaves towards associates, customers, vendors, and other important audiences
3. Visual/verbal identity, which is how the organization looks and sounds

Your organization's credibility and stakeholder support is related to the alignment and interaction of these three identities.

The following charts show three examples of successful, well-known companies that have done a great job of aligning their three identities.
 

	Strategic	Behavioral	Visual/Verbal
Dell	To be the best computer maker in the world and, at the same time, to offer the best customer experience	An online ordering system that is the standard for e-business and puts enormous power in the hands of the consumer Outstanding customer service	Name is short and easy to remember Logo is stylistically simple yet contemporary Tagline: "Easy As Dell"
Ritz Carlton	The Ritz-Carlton Hotel is a place where the genuine care and comfort of our guests is our highest mission.	Three steps to service: Warm reception Anticipation and compliance Fond farewell	"We are ladies and gentlemen serving ladies and gentlemen."

Aligning the three identities - strategic, behavioral, and visual/verbal - is not a guarantee of success. For example, Dell still had to provide some of the world's best computer systems and affordable prices to grow their business.

However, failure to align your identities is a sure way to confuse, frustrate, and potentially alienate stakeholders who are key to your organization's success.