Overview Page

CEB Ignition™ Guide to

Executive Goal Alignment
CEB Corporate Leadership Council™

This four-step guide includes 12 documents that will help you: Time:1 4–5 Weeks
■■ Align executive goals with the overall organizational goals, Effort: 2–3 FTEs (will vary
2

by organization size
■■ Identify interdependencies between functional or business units
and dispersion)
goals,
Costs:3 $0
■■ Increase collaboration between leaders and among functions or
business units, and Input: ■■ Organization
and business
■■ Prepare for cascading goals throughout the organization to ensure unit strategy
employee goal alignment. documents
■■ Knowledge of
current goal-
setting process

Plan Step 1: Plan the executive goal alignment process.

1 Task, 2 Documents
Build Step 2: Facilitate the goal alignment process for the executives.
5 Tasks, 6 Documents
Step 3: Review and finalize executive goals.
3 Tasks, 3 Documents
Monitor Step 4: Monitor the executive goal alignment process.
1 Task, 1 Document

1 Time refers to the total duration for completing the activity end to end.
2 Effort refers to the total number of FTEs required to execute the activity. Get Help
3 Cost refers to the incremental expenses required for the activity, and it excludes internal resources. from Peers

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Step 1

STEP 1 STEP 2 STEP 3 STEP 4

Step 1 of 4: Plan the Executive Goal

Alignment Process
Outline the plan for the executive goal alignment process, and ensure all participants
understand their responsibilities, the process timelines, and expected outcomes.

Business Case
for Change
Project Outcomes Problems Addressed
■■ Ensure a stronger link between ■■ Functions or business units
executive and organizational focus on narrow goals to
performance. the detriment of the larger
■■ Identify dependencies on other organizational goals.
functions and business units for ■■ Suboptimal resource allocation
meeting goals. leads to duplication of efforts.
■■ Increase leader and cross-silo ■■ Leaders miss opportunities
collaboration. to maximize ROI in different
■■ Lay the groundwork to align segments of the organization.
employee goals with organizational
goals.

Roles and
Responsibilities
CEO
CEB Ignition™ Approve the goal alignment process, key investments, and other CXO goals.
Project Manager
Business Case for CFO
Executive Goal
Approve budget and resource allocation.
Alignment
CXOs/Business and Functional Heads
Create and align their individual goals to the overall organizational goals.

CHRO/Head of HR
Sign off on and help execute the goal alignment process.

Before
You Start
Before starting the executive goal alignment process:
■■ Define annual objectives for the organization,
■■ Secure buy-in and commitment from the CEO, and
■■ Define success measures.
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 STEP 1 STEP 2 STEP 3 STEP 4

Common
Pitfalls & Keys
to Success
Lack of Consultation with Clearly Articulate
Peers Expectations from Peers
The process emphasizes an Communicate collaboration
insular approach to creating and expectations for goal execution
meeting goals. and alignment.

Exhaustive List of Goals Choose the Most

Relevant Goals
Avoid sharing goals that do not Executives should focus
have interdependencies with on the relevance as well as
other executives. interdependence of goals.

Misaligned Goals Ensure Right Balance

of Goals
Goals shared between executives Evaluate the relative importance
do not highlight key priorities. of each goal to the larger
organization.

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Step 2

STEP 1 STEP 2 STEP 3 STEP 4

Step 2 of 4: Facilitate the Goal Alignment

Process for the Executives
Review organizational and functional goals to identify all interdependencies in functions
and business units.

Your Tasks
2.1 Identify potential interdependencies in executive goals.
Goal Review Before meeting with individual executives, review organizational goals, and
Prework Checklist identify potential interdependencies.

2.2 Review goals with each executive.

Interdependency Meet individually with each executive to review his or her functional goals for
Identification relevance to the role and potential interdependencies with other executives.
Guide

2.3 Conduct a goal alignment workshop.

Facilitator Guide Hold a session with executives to discuss and review the appropriate types
for Executive of goals and measures for their roles.
Goal Alignment
Workshop
Participating
Leader Worksheet

2.4 Ensure functional or business unit goals align with the overall
Organizational
corporate strategy.
Strategic Goal Help executives review their goals to ensure they are consistent with the overall
Calibration corporate strategy.
Template

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 STEP 1 STEP 2 STEP 3 STEP 4

2.5 Document all agreed-upon interdependencies.

Executive Goal Formally catalogue all interdependencies in functions or business units, and
Alignment ensure all executives provide their sign-off.
Template

Case Study Case Study

Goal Interdependency
Alignment Sessions Customized Collaboration
Rewards

Review Your
Progress
Success Red Flags Team
Criteria Conversation
■■ Establishment of ■■ Stakeholders are not ■■ How can we
cross-functional responsive. help identify
goals aligned with ■■ Executives’ goals interdependencies
organizational goals conflict with among executive
and strategy organizational goals?
■■ Increased objectives. ■■ How do we ensure
transparency accountability
between different for effective goal
business units and alignment at the
functions executive level?

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Step 3

STEP 1 STEP 2 STEP 3 STEP 4

Step 3 of 4: Review and Finalize Executive

Goals
Ensure executive goals align with overall organizational goals, and communicate them to
the organization.

Your Tasks
3.1 Conduct a review of the goals set by the executives.
Executive Goal Help the CEO perform a quality check after the alignment process to ensure
Review Checklist the goals adhere to the organizational guidelines.

3.2 Share functional or business unit goals with direct reports.

Executive Goal Guide executives to communicate their finalized goals and interdependencies
Communication with their direct team and incorporate any relevant feedback.
Toolkit

3.3 Finalize and communicate goals throughout the organization.

CEB Ignition Get the executives to sign off on their goals, and publish these goals in their
Guide™ to Goal functions or business units.
Alignment

Case Study

Goal Alignment Cascade

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 STEP 1 STEP 2 STEP 3 STEP 4

Review Your
Progress
Success Red Flags Team
Criterion Conversation
Timely communication ■■ Executive goals ■■ What criteria should
of relevant goals that are misaligned the CEO use to
will help in collective with organizational evaluate executive
goal attainment priorities. goals?
■■ Executives delay ■■ How can we assist
sharing functional the executives
or business unit better during the
goals with the communication
organization at large. process?

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Last Step

STEP 1 STEP 2 STEP 3 STEP 4

Step 4 of 4: Monitor the Executive Goal

Alignment Process
Upon completion of the executive goal alignment process, identify process improvement
opportunities and monitor performance.

Review Your
Performance
Closing the Project
CEB Ignition™ ■■ Assess the effectiveness of the process.
Project Reviewer
■■ Solicit feedback from key stakeholders.
■■ Document lessons learned.

Review and Track Performance

■■ Regularly monitor goal alignment metrics.
■■ Gather feedback on the alignment process.
■■ Track progress against each individual’s goals.

Keys to
Continued
Success
Revise Goals
Review and revise the goals to reflect business and market changes.

Track Progress of Aligned Goals

Monitor effective implementation of interdependent goals.

Cascade Goals Across Organization

Ensure effective cascade of executive goals to align employee goals with
overall organizational goals.

Related
Resources ■■ Performance Management
■■ Leadership

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