What is the ALIGNment Assignment you might ask. For me it is a return to a purposeful communication of my philosophy on life. Over a decade ago I was encouraged to discover and articulate what distinguished me from others in my field. This question caused me some concern, since at that time my thought was “because I am great at what I do”. When the person replied, “so am I, so why would they come to you and not to me”, I realized what was asked.

One morning while standing in the mirror the thought emerged from my subconscious, ALIGN. When someone is looking to figure out how to get the best out of where they are in life, they should consult me. If you are a visual person, imagine a car rolling down the road out of alignment. It will certainly get you to your destination every time, but to the detriment of your tires. Your tires are those things that keep you grounded and worry free. One flat tire and you can go nowhere; one tire lower than it should be and your fuel efficiency suffers. Overwear on tire reduces traction and therefore make you susceptible to slip and slide in hazardous situations. So, in order to avoid stagnation, losing traction, or efficiency on your journey, you consult the alignment specialist. I have positioned myself and my company in that field. We specialize in “ALIGNing who you are, with where you are.”

The letters for align are capitalized because I developed a system around the word that would assist individuals and organizations with strategically positioning their efforts with their core competencies.

A – Acknowledge that we are created on purpose for a purpose. No matter whether you are an individual or an organization, you have been designed for a specific purpose. The goal is to acknowledge and accept that you are, even if you have forgotten why.

L – List those things in which you are good at and those things which you enjoy doing. For an individual this may look like hobbies or pastimes, but they embody special skillsets that should be discovered and developed. For an organization, this is typically found in the mission of the organization. You may start with your lines of business; however, it is much deeper.

I – The Internal Compass is our life’s global positioning system. For the individual it is our spirit, mind’s eye, intuition, or conscious. For the organization it is our core values, guiding principles, values, and norms. We should always consult and trust them, since they do not arbitrarily change with the circumstance or condition.

G – Gravitate towards people and things that support our growth. It is imperative that we intrench ourselves and our organizations into environments that support us and our organization, and resist venturing into areas and lines of business that are fleeting and drain energy and resources.

N – Never Compromise for friends, fame, or fortune. As the economy ebbs and flows, and new trends arise, it is important that we stay the course; that we don’t chase fleeting moments for short term gains. When we shift directions or focus without thoroughly going through the entire process listed here, we risk getting out of ALIGNment and thereby putting ourselves and our organizations at risk.

In conclusion, I leave you with the same question that was asked of me years ago, what distinguishes you from others that do what you do? Regardless of your profession, station in life, or organization, I believe the answer to this question will liberate you. As you embark on this journey of discovery, I will be right beside you expanding what distinguishes me, for your benefit. After all, this is what I believe we are all called to do, ALIGN.

Clarence T. Brown
President and CEO
TresC Consulting Services, Inc.