Are You in Alignment—Or Just 1° Off?
It was the end of September at Costco, and the Christmas decorations were already out.
That moment wasn’t just another retail oddity; it was a signal. An unspoken reminder that time, momentum, and markets don’t wait for us to catch up. If we are just 1 degree off, we have some work to do.
And now here we are…the end of 2025.
How did you perform?
- Did your vision translate into real-world results?
- Did your culture and decisions reflect your mission?
- Or… did you drift 1° off somewhere along the way?
The 1° Rule: Why Minor Misalignments Create Massive Divergences
In aviation, a 1° navigational error puts you 92 feet off course every mile. Over time, that tiny miscalculation becomes hundreds of miles of deviation. The same holds true in business and leadership.
A founder or executive drifting just one degree:
- Fails to recalibrate after a pivot.
- Ignores early warning signs from culture or customer experience.
- Doubles down on a “winning” strategy long after it stopped working.
The gap isn’t apparent overnight, but by Q4, it’s glaring.
Are You in Strategic Alignment, or Just Busy?
Let’s redefine alignment in leadership terms. It’s not about being “productive.” It’s about precision between vision, team performance, and leadership presence.
Signs You’re in Alignment:
- Strategy drives clear and consistent execution across teams.
- Weekly activity maps to long-term OKRs or outcomes.
- You make decisions with confidence, not from urgency.
- There’s a rhythm of trust and communication, not chaos, in operations and leadership flow.
Signs You’re 1° Off:
- You’re reacting more than designing.
- There’s friction between departments or vision and velocity.
- What once felt “on fire” now feels… heavy.
- You’re chasing growth without clarity on why.
3 Strategic Realignments to Course-Correct Now
1. Conduct a Strategic Debrief. Not Just a Review
Forget the typical Q4 retrospective. Instead, ask:
- What decisions in Q1‑Q3 had the biggest impact? Why?
- How are my teams communicating and performing?
- Which initiatives used resources but didn’t deliver?
- Where did I overlook intuition because I relied on data, or the other way around?
This is less about KPIs and more about honest feedback.
2. Align the Leadership Stack
Founders often work “on the business,” while execs drive teams. But without harmony:
- Vision gets lost in translation.
- Goals get gamed or misunderstood.
- Frustration brews from silent distrust.
Ask: Are my direct reports and their teams clear on our priorities? Are they supporting each other by challenging them to be better, or quietly minding just their own business?
Build in cross-functional clarity checks monthly, not just at board reviews.
3. Re-Prioritize the One Degree That Matters Most
Every executive battles decision fatigue. But alignment isn’t about adding more. It’s about removing what no longer serves.
Audit your time, energy, and focus:
- What are you still holding onto out of obligation that is dragging you off-center?
- Which “legacy decisions” no longer align with 2025 realities?
- What small, high-leverage action could re-center your team, product, or culture?
Sometimes, the shift that changes the trajectory isn’t a strategy. It’s a conversation you’ve been avoiding or a responsibility you need to delegate.
Perfection Isn’t the Goal. The Destination Is.
Don’t mistake this for a call to get everything “right.” Alignment isn’t rigidity. It’s responsiveness.
Being 1° off isn’t failure. It’s feedback.
But only if you’re paying attention.
Your End-of-Year Imperative
The Christmas lights showing up in September aren’t wrong. It is a reminder that time moves fast and precision is critical to achieving success. The signals are always there, and it’s not too late to arrive at the right destination. The question is:
Did you adjust?
There’s still time. Before you step into 2026:
- Recommit to clarity.
- Reconnect your leadership to your vision.
- Realign with precision, no heroics required.
Because in leadership, 1° of alignment now can redefine the entire trajectory of next year.
