𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝗦𝗶𝗹𝗲𝗻𝘁 𝗦𝗮𝗯𝗼𝘁𝗲𝘂𝗿: 𝗜𝘀 𝗬𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝗣𝗲𝗼𝗽𝗹𝗲-𝗣𝗲𝗿𝗳𝗼𝗿𝗺𝗮𝗻𝗰𝗲 𝗔𝗹𝗶𝗴𝗻𝗺𝗲𝗻𝘁 𝗕𝗿𝗲𝗮𝗸𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗬𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝗦𝘁𝗿𝗮𝘁𝗲𝗴𝘆?

Frequently Asked Questions

• Q: 1. What does “misalignment” between people and performance actually mean?

  A: It means your HR systems — performance management, incentives, learning, rewards — aren’t reinforcing the behaviours, skills, or outcomes your strategy requires. It creates hidden drag on execution.

• Q: 2. Why is this such a silent risk?

  A: Because everything looks fine on the surface — KPIs are met, tasks get done, reports are submitted. But what’s being rewarded and prioritised may not match what the business really needs to grow.

• Q: 3. Isn’t this just a performance management issue?

  A: No — it’s a strategic execution issue. If your people systems don’t support strategic goals, your ability to transform, innovate, or scale will stall — regardless of how talented your team is.

• Q: 4. How do I know if this is happening in my organisation?

  A: Look for signs like: Great strategy but slow traction High activity, low impact Unclear or inconsistent performance expectations Talented people becoming disengaged KPIs focused on past, not future goals

• Q: 5. We’ve set strategy — why isn’t that enough?

  A: Because strategy needs to be translated into aligned action — team by team, leader by leader. That only happens when people systems are explicitly designed to deliver it.

• Q: 6. What role should HR play in fixing this?

  A: HR must move from executor to co-architect of strategy — aligning rewards, capabilities, expectations, and feedback loops with the direction of the business.

• Q: 7. What should we change first — performance reviews or incentives?

  A: Start with clarity: define the behaviours and outcomes your strategy depends on. Then realign both performance and incentives to reinforce those.

• Q: 8. What’s the cost of doing nothing?

  A: Loss of momentum, stalled initiatives, frustrated talent, missed growth targets — and eventually, competitive erosion. The longer the misalignment persists, the harder it becomes to fix.

• Q: 9. How can leaders reduce this risk right now?

  A: Review incentives and KPIs for strategic fit Make expectations crystal clear Equip managers to coach, not just review Empower HR to influence planning, not just policy

• Q: 10. Is this a one-time fix or an ongoing process?

  A: It’s continuous. Business goals evolve, so alignment must be dynamic. The best organisations build regular check-ins and feedback loops to keep people systems tightly connected to strategy.