FrontPace | Executive Consulting | 8-step framework
Strategy Alignment Analysis™Measure strategic alignment in your leadership or project team, then build lasting cohesion
Strategy Alignment Analysis™ (SAA) is a strategic alignment assessment that gives a leadership or project team a precise, data-driven measure of alignment within defined strategic focus areas, quantified by our proprietary algorithm. But the number tells only half the story. Behind every Alignment Index result is a team that is either pulling in the same direction or pulling apart. We therefore distinguish between alignment, the measurable part, and cohesion, which is how that alignment is experienced in day-to-day work. A team with strong alignment makes sharper decisions, executes them more consistently and holds steady in day-to-day operations. Through a structured, collaborative process, we help you translate that insight into lasting strategic cohesion.
The BookExperience and analysis suggest that highly effective teams typically reach the upper band of the scale.
When a Team Needs an Alignment Assessment
As the person responsible for a leadership or project team, you should consider running SAA in one or more of the following situations.
- You are establishing a new company or a new unit within your organisation, and you want strong alignment from day one.
- You are experiencing declining efficiency and productivity within the team.
- You are seeing more and more misunderstandings within the team:
- You want to be sure that alignment among team members is strong before the team enters a high-pressure period.
- You want team members to stay aligned with the overarching strategic focus areas at all times. That keeps efficiency and productivity high and builds a culture of cohesion.
Does any of this sound familiar? Often it's because the team's alignment – and the day-to-day cohesion that should follow from it – has never actually been measured.
What the Alignment Assessment Delivers
When you run SAA, you gain a precise picture of team alignment in your leadership or project team and a concrete starting point for strengthening cohesion in the work ahead.
Precise assessment
A precise assessment of the team's alignment within defined strategic focus areas. The result is stronger shared understanding and greater capacity to execute.
Data-driven insight
Results are expressed as Alignment Index scores, calculated using our proprietary algorithm.
Objective foundation
A clear and objective foundation for focused discussions within the team. It surfaces differences in priorities, perceptions and commitment, and creates room to build cohesion where it's needed most.
From insight to execution
Our experienced advisors lead a structured process that takes the team from measurement to cohesion in practice – and on to sharper decisions and stronger execution.
How We Deliver SAA: the 8-Step Process
- 1
Initial questionnaire
The team leader receives a short and simple web-based questionnaire. We process the responses and prepare the team for the SAA.
- 2
Teams meeting on focus areas
Once the agreement is confirmed, we set up a Teams meeting with the team leader to explore relevant strategic focus areas. Optionally, we also run short individual interviews with team members.
- 3
Confirmation of focus areas
Within 1–2 days, the team leader receives the proposed strategic focus areas for the assessment, and we ask for these to be confirmed.
- 4
Individual input
Within 1–2 days, each team member receives a link to share their individual input on the focus areas, with a set deadline for submission.
- 5
Written SAA report
A detailed written SAA report is sent 3–4 days after the submission deadline.
- 6
Presentation and workshop
The report is presented to the whole team, and we run a workshop grounded in a theoretical framework to strengthen both alignment and cohesion within the team.
- 7
Summary alignment report
We prepare a summary SAA report on the team's work, confirming both the measured alignment and the team's cohesion around the focus areas.
- 8
Debrief and next steps
In a one-on-one meeting with the team leader, we review the SAA process and agree on next steps.
SAA+ | Strategy Framework
SAA+ is an optional module in which a complete strategy framework is developed over a one- or two-day session with the senior leadership team.
We stay in touch by phone, on Teams, in meetings or by email whenever clarification is needed. Our consultant is also available for a free follow-up conversation for up to 7 days after the SAA process is completed.
How SAA Measures Strategic Alignment
SAA combines a team alignment survey with facilitated workshops. It is designed for leadership and project teams alike, and engages their members in a concentrated analysis of the current strategic focus areas. The process creates a precise picture of the most relevant parameters for the team's alignment and shows the degree to which each individual member shares the team's priorities. It is carried out through interviews and a user-friendly, web-based interface.
The process includes a precise measurement method carried out by one of our experienced consultants, and the results are expressed as Alignment Index scores calculated with our proprietary algorithm. Putting a number on each focus area makes the discussion more concrete and engaging.
We then run a workshop to build alignment within the team and strengthen cohesion in day-to-day collaboration. Finally, we review the SAA method and results with the team leader and agree on next steps.
Questions
Common questions about what SAA measures, how the process runs and what it does not cover.
What is Strategy Alignment Analysis™ (SAA)?
SAA is a strategic alignment assessment: a measurement method that assesses how closely the members of a leadership or project team agree on a defined set of strategic focus areas. Each member responds to the same focus areas individually, and the results are expressed as Alignment Index scores calculated with a proprietary algorithm.
What does the Alignment Index tell us?
The Alignment Index shows, on a single scale, how closely team members' priorities converge. Results toward the divergent end indicate that members are pulling in different directions, while results toward the convergent end indicate a shared view of what matters most. Experience and analysis suggest that highly effective teams typically reach the upper band of the scale.
What is the difference between alignment and cohesion?
Alignment is the measurable part: the degree to which team members share the same priorities, expressed as an Alignment Index score. Cohesion is how that alignment plays out day to day in decisions, action plans and execution. SAA measures alignment, and the workshop that follows is aimed at turning it into cohesion.
Who is SAA for?
Leadership teams, project teams and boards. It is typically used when a new company or unit is being established, when efficiency is declining, when misunderstandings and stalled decisions are increasing, or ahead of a period of high pressure.
How long does an SAA take?
The process runs in eight steps. The team leader receives the proposed focus areas within one to two days of the scoping meeting, team members are then given one to two days to respond individually, and the written report follows three to four days after the submission deadline. Presentation, workshop and the closing debrief are scheduled with the team.
Does SAA tell us whether our strategy is the right one?
No. SAA measures how well a team is aligned on the strategic focus areas it has chosen. It does not assess whether those focus areas are the most appropriate ones for the organisation. That remains a judgement for the team and its leadership.
Is the process confidential?
Yes. A non-disclosure agreement is signed before each SAA assignment, and the standard agreement can be downloaded from this page for review in advance.
Can we be certified or licensed to run SAA ourselves?
FrontPace offers individual training and certification in the SAA methodology. A formal licence to use the methodology is assessed case by case and can be granted where required.
Ready to Map Alignment in Your Team?
The numbers reveal how aligned your leadership or project team is. Turning that insight into lasting cohesion is up to you, and we're here to support you every step of the way.
Send us an email to get started, or to ask any questions about the process, how it works, or what it covers.