When Alignment Returns, Everything Changes
- Meri Stockwell
- 3 days ago
- 4 min read
People Powered Performance | Edition 39
Most organizations and leaders are not broken. They are misaligned.
Welcome to the 39th edition of People Powered Performance.
In this issue, I explore what changes when alignment returns across teams, leadership habits, and the next chapter many women are stepping into.
Misalignment rarely announces itself loudly. It shows up quietly through slower decisions, leadership fatigue, friction between teams, and opportunities that never quite materialize. Over time, it erodes enterprise value and personal confidence alike.
This edition is about intentional design, not doing more.
When the Right People Are on the Right Teams, Everything Changes
Most organizations do not struggle because they lack talent. They struggle because talent is misapplied.
I recently worked with a client that appeared strong on paper. Capable leaders. Engaged teams. Solid financial performance. Yet execution felt heavier than it should have.
Using Predictive Index Design, we stepped back and examined the work itself. Not job titles. Not tenure. The actual behavioral demands required to deliver strategy.
What we uncovered was familiar. Several high performers were carrying roles that quietly drained them. Others were ready for more but constrained by outdated role design. Teams had been built by history instead of intention.
Once teams were redesigned around the work and the people naturally wired to do it, everything shifted. Decision making accelerated. Friction decreased. Financial outcomes improved because energy was no longer wasted compensating for misalignment.
Alignment does not make work easy. It makes it effective.
Two leadership tips from CC, our Chief Cultural Officer:
Momma says she loves efficiency. CC says stop putting the fast dogs in the wrong race.
If everyone looks tired, CC suggests checking the role before questioning the person.
When Control Turns Into Trust
I am currently coaching a senior executive in a global organization whose dominant saboteur is Controller.
She is decisive, accountable, and deeply committed to outcomes. She is also accustomed to stepping in quickly when things feel uncertain.
Early in our work, she noticed a pattern. While her standards were high, her team had begun to rely on her too heavily. Ownership was uneven. Growth was slower than it needed to be.
We focused first on awareness. Then pause. Then choice.
Instead of stepping in, she began asking better questions. She slowed her responses. She created space for others to lead.
The impact was tangible. Her team stepped up. Confidence increased. Trust deepened. Peers began asking what she was doing differently.
Her leadership became lighter without losing strength. Her influence expanded.
Two leadership tips from CC:
Momma thinks control keeps things safe. CC knows trust keeps the pack moving.
Just because you can grab the leash does not mean you should.
Reset & Rise: Reclaiming Clarity, Confidence, and Competitiveness
Many women over 45 are not stuck. They are misaligned.
Reset & Rise, co-created with Hermence Matsotsa, is a global movement for women over 45 built on three pillars.
Clarity
Clarity is knowing who you are now. Not who you were earlier in your career. Not who others expect you to remain. This stage of life requires recalibration, not reinvention.
Confidence
Confidence returns when actions align with values. It is not louder. It is steadier. It shows up when decisions are made from truth instead of expectation.
Competitiveness
This is the pillar we often avoid discussing.
Somewhere along the way, many women were encouraged to soften their edge. Collaboration replaced ambition. Gratitude replaced advocacy. Over time, competitiveness was misunderstood as ego rather than self-respect.
Reset & Rise reframes competitiveness as intention. Competing for the life you want. The work you deserve. The impact you are capable of making.
This movement is not just for executives. It is for women building careers, businesses, families, and next chapters.
Two leadership tips from CC:
Momma says competitiveness is not about winning. CC says it is about wanting the treat and going for it.
If you stopped chasing what you want, CC suggests asking yourself why.
We Are Recruiting
This week, we are supporting clients with several leadership and procurement-related roles.
Sr. Regional Procurement Manager, MI - Manufacturing (On-Site)
Vice President of Operations, IL - Warehouse (On-Site) - dm me for more info and a confidential discussion.
Director of Logistics, NY - Distribution (On-Site)
Director of Procurement (Resins), CT - Manufacturing (Hybrid)
Capital Project Engineer, UT - Manufacturing (On-Site)
Looking for more opportunities? Check out our nationwide job portal
Start With a 15-Minute Iced Coffee Chat
If one section stood out, start there.
I keep first conversations simple. No selling. Just clarity.
Closing
Thank you for spending time with me and CC.
If this edition resonated, consider sharing it with someone navigating a similar season. These conversations matter, especially when alignment is calling for attention.
More soon.
About the Author
Meri M. Stockwell, MBA, CSP, CEP is the Founder and CEO of Meritas Advisory Group and the Co-Founder of Reset & Rise.
She works with leaders and organizations to design systems that support alignment, confidence, and sustained enterprise value. CC is her Cavapoo and Chief Cultural Officer.
Comments