What are the definitions of alignment and misalignment?
In short, alignment between people is convergence, misalignment is divergence.
Alignment doesn't necessarily mean that people need to agree with each other or think the same thing. Alignment is when people agree on a way forward so that their decisions and actions line up. It's the foundation of effective action.
“Problems caused by misalignment include confusion; waste of time, money and opportunity; diminished productivity; demotivation of individuals and teams; internal conflicts, power struggles; and ultimately project failure as well as resulting in time and energy spent: doubting, conspiring, guessing or gossiping – when that same energy could be deployed in moving an organisation forward.”
Box, S., & Platts, K. Business Process Management: Establishing and maintaining project alignment, Business Process Management Journal, Vol. 11 Issue: 4, PP.370-387), 2005
On what research is Mirror Mirror based?
Mirror Mirror was designed in collaboration with the Technical University of Delft, drawing from a range of research sources. Please contact us for a copy of our Research Summaries and Literature Review documents.
Key influences are the theory of Social Constructionism: how people make sense of their contexts through language with others; research by Barron, showing that effective collaboration is not merely a case of putting people with the relevant knowledge together, because team members face challenges in integrating their different perspectives and developing shared cognition (a shared understanding) of common problems; and the work of van den Bossche, which shows that interpersonal and socio-cognitive processes and practices (behaviours) affect the rapid development of shared understanding, which drives improved team effectiveness.
 Achieving Coordination in Collaborative Problem-Solving Groups, Brigid Barron, Journal of the Learning Sciences Vol. 9, Iss. 4, 2000
 Team Learning: Building Shared Mental Models, van den Bossche et al. Instructional Science, 39(3), pp.283–301. 2008
How reliable is the data?
The data is as reliable as the openness of the respondents providing it. To maximize levels of openness, we provide communication texts about the process in advance, we explain that all inputs are taken anonymously, and we codify all qualitative texts to avoid personal attribution as far as possible.
How is Mirror Mirror different from other tools on the market?
The Mirror Mirror Team Reality Reporting offer is different from other assessments on the market because it goes deep, discovering alignment gaps and opportunities between people. With a mix of qualitative and quantitative questions, the insights are detailed, specific, and ready for use in dialogue-based alignment sessions that lead to more effective group action. The resulting progress and change is measured with two short follow up surveys as part of the package.
Specifically, how is Mirror Mirror different from the Employee Survey?
Mirror Mirror reports are much easier to use for change because they are:
Anchored in the context of each team - we identify and measure alignment opportunities within the unique context of each team
Action oriented - because the data is so relevant to the work of each participant group, and the opportunity to affect change from a subsequent alignment process so high, Mirror Mirror is not just about gathering feedback and insight, it's about effective action
Measured - Progress is tracked over time to show what changed and why.
What are the benefits of using Mirror Mirror?
ENGAGEMENT, CHANGE, AND STRATEGY IMPLEMENTATION
Top Teams – surface and address key cognitive and behavioural alignment gaps at and / or between the Board and Executive levels.
Between Teams – find out what’s going wrong across teams, get those silos broken down, bring people across multiple teams onto the same page – quickly and efficiently.
Team by Team alignment – get the strategy implemented through better engagement and alignment; funnel key insights and feedback to key stakeholders.
Streamline project teams and cross functional teams – get clarity, engagement, and alignment on the shared challenges and how people can deliver better together.
Save teams in trouble – identify the issues and get them on the table, safely and constructively. Have these addressed through acceptance or change so people can move on and deliver from a shared reality.
Get remote teams on the same page – improve collaboration by building rapid familiarity with the team, the context, and the culture – then co-creating an action plan for team delivery.
Support new leaders – compress the onboarding phase by building rapid familiarity with the team, the context, and the culture. Use this to engage and reset direction.
Support new teams – accelerate the familiarisation process with each other, with the context, culture, and challenges. Use this data to create cognitive and behavioural alignment so the team can deliver better together.
How can Mirror Mirror help organizations navigate through change?
Mirror Mirror identifies and measures the current reality, therefore mapping the FROM position of change. By bringing alignment gaps and assumptions into view with the TO position in mind, these gaps can be addressed safely and constructively.
Participating teams are then better able to recognize and accept where they are now, and take ownership for how they can best respond together. The Mirror Mirror approach helps diminish resistance to change, improves clarity and agility, increases engagement, and heightens preparedness to succeed.
Can we get a demonstration to see how it works?
The Demo Scan, our free automated 11 question product, is designed to show the approach.
Can I speak to a reference customer?
Yes, we can connect you with previous customers who are happy to be contacted to share their experience of the process.
How do we ensure data security?
How are the benefits of Mirror Mirror measured?
After the event, we measure perceptions on clarity, alignment, positivity, and preparedness by comparing perception data at three points in time: before the workshop, after the workshop, and 3 – 6 months later.
How does Mirror Mirror sit within a broader programme of change or learning?
Mirror Mirror complements any other change or learning agenda because it improves shared understanding - the basis of change and learning.
What do I need to do to set up Mirror Mirror within my organization?
You can initiate Mirror Mirror via one of the trained facilitators in our network, or by getting in touch with us directly. We will start by asking for some basic information about your work situation, so the right question sets can be configured, and we'll guide you from there.