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Generate efficiencies and uncover opportunities by unifying your organization

Unifying and integrating the organization is a major strategic focus for many senior leaders. It can lead to a wide range of benefits:

• Significant cost efficiencies
• Customers consistently receiving the full, combined value of all parts of the firm
• Improved leverage of global assets and coverage as a competitive advantage
• Increased operating margin and revenue per employee

85 percent of economic growth in developed economies is produced by new ideas, and new ideas often stem from collaboration.

In addition, the American Academy of Sciences estimates that 85 percent of economic growth in developed economies is produced by fostering new ideas—and innovation often results from cross-boundary collaboration.

But this “One Company” approach is not without its obstacles. As organizations grow, regional and functional leaders interpret corporate strategy differently, and they may focus too sharply on local or functional goals. When leaders do not collaborate, strategic integration is impossible. They miss opportunities to drive the top line, and redundancies negatively impact the bottom line.

Successful organizations strive to unify their people on corporate strategic choices and a consistent execution approach:

• Involve key players from across the business up front in making strategic choices and planning
• Communicate business priorities and clear metrics to which every employee has a line of sight
• Establish a common language to describe what it means to lead in the organization
• Staff initiatives with cross-functional teams
• Provide leaders with skills and opportunities to collaborate

If the right approach is taken, mobilizing people toward one common purpose can result in long-term, sustained business gains.