Your Team Is Pulling Itself Apart
And You Do Not Even Know
Dear Reader
When was the last time you checked your alignment? Not just your car’s alignment but your team’s and your own.
A few months ago I drove from Oaxaca to Canada in our XC90. Before leaving I had Volvo Puebla inspect it but squeezed in a quick wheel alignment in Oaxaca because the roads there are rough.
Once we hit Hidalgo and some rain the vehicle began to wander. It felt like it was floating instead of gripping the road. Later in Monterrey more rain came and I completely lost control for a moment. I nearly hit a concrete barrier but managed to pull it back. I thought it was the stability system acting up so I turned it off.
After that I rested up in San Antonio. I have been there several times and it felt good to be somewhere familiar with time to catch up with friends I have made there. I set out again and made it to Nebraska where I stayed overnight. The next morning the tire pressure light came on. I had just driven over some rough track so I pulled over to check. The rear tires were completely bald. No tread left at all and the belts were starting to show through. The back of the vehicle was covered in fine tire dust.
This vehicle only had twelve thousand miles on it. And there I was with two ruined tires in the middle of the plains. My phone would not connect for calls either. No way to reach Volvo for help. The last dealers before Canada were in Omaha or Sioux Falls. I chose Sioux Falls and I am so glad I did.
On the way there my phone finally reconnected for calls. The dealer had time to fit me in. They did a quick check and suggested putting it on the alignment machine. Both rear wheels were set up like a plow with the tires slightly pointed inward. This was grinding the tread away every mile and causing loss of control when it was wet.
They aligned it properly and two thousand dollars in new tires later I was back on the road and the vehicle drove true.
Look at this photo of that tire. It is proof of what happens when you run out of alignment for too long. What should have been smooth and steady turned into hidden damage that nearly wrecked the entire trip.
It got me thinking. Where does poor alignment show up in our teams? How many people are slightly pulling in different directions? How often does the culture allow that to continue unnoticed? It costs us. It burns out good people. It makes our work unsafe when the road conditions get rough. And just like that tire it puts your entire destination at risk with stops and deviations certain along the way on top of costly mistakes.
Teams need alignment. Shared values. Clear purpose. Someone who knows how to check and recalibrate when something feels off. If you do not pay attention you pay in wasted energy and early breakdowns.
What Have I Been Learning
This drive reminded me how small misalignments add up. Just like wheels people wear down if their work and values are out of sync.
A person out of step with the team’s culture will keep pulling against the flow. Left unchecked that tension burns through time trust and momentum.
Alignment is not something you do once. It is a practice. It is conversation. It is a steady check-in to be sure everyone is pointing the same way.
Where Have My Travels Taken Me
San Antonio was an important stop on that long journey. I have spent enough time there that it is starting to feel like home. I caught up with friends and felt my sense of community realign after the stress of the road.
It reminded me that our communities need steady alignment too. The people who keep us grounded and moving forward are worth the effort to maintain and strengthen.
What Am I Reading
I have been reading Widen the Window. It is about how we build resilience and grow our capacity to handle stress. It ties perfectly to alignment.
When we do not work through our old stress or hurt it knocks us off balance. We drift out of true. Then when life throws rain and rough roads our way we are more likely to spin out.
Inner alignment matters just as much as our teams. Maybe more.
Closing Insight
Next time you hear a strange hum or feel your work wandering off track check your alignment. Whether it is your car your team or your own heart it pays to get a professional checkup.
Your destination depends on it. It costs less than a new set of tires.
Until next time
Kursten