--- title: What Causes Organizational Dysfunction? description: A misaligned market vision = missed growth opportunities. A misaligned business model = lost money. A misaligned HR strategy = hiring the wrong people. image: https://www.shiftpoints.com/hubfs/Potholes.jpg --- Search this site on Google Search Google [![SHIFTPOINTS - Cropped Logo](https://www.shiftpoints.com/hs-fs/hubfs/SHIFTPOINTS%20-%20Cropped%20Logo.jpg?width=360&height=63&name=SHIFTPOINTS%20-%20Cropped%20Logo.jpg)](http://WWW.SHIFTPOINTS.COM)   - [ABOUT](https://www.shiftpoints.com/overview) - [OUR COMPANY](https://www.shiftpoints.com/overview) - [OUR CEO](https://www.shiftpoints.com/dave-ramos) - [OUR BOOKS](https://www.shiftpoints.com/books-by-dave-ramos) - [CONTACT](https://www.shiftpoints.com/contact-shiftpoints) - [THE THREE SHIFTS](https://www.shiftpoints.com/the-three-shifts) - [INTRODUCTION](https://www.shiftpoints.com/the-three-shifts) - [START: DEVELOP ONE TEAM](https://www.shiftpoints.com/develop-one-team) - [SHIFT #1: DECIDE ONE THING](https://www.shiftpoints.com/decide-one-thing) - [SHIFT #2: DRIVE ONE DIRECTION](https://www.shiftpoints.com/drive-one-direction) - [SHIFT #3: DELIVER EVERY TIME](https://www.shiftpoints.com/deliver-every-time) - 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[February 2020 (4)](https://www.shiftpoints.com/blog/archive/2020/02) - [April 2020 (4)](https://www.shiftpoints.com/blog/archive/2020/04) - [May 2020 (4)](https://www.shiftpoints.com/blog/archive/2020/05) - [June 2020 (4)](https://www.shiftpoints.com/blog/archive/2020/06) - [March 2019 (3)](https://www.shiftpoints.com/blog/archive/2019/03) - [June 2019 (3)](https://www.shiftpoints.com/blog/archive/2019/06) - [August 2019 (3)](https://www.shiftpoints.com/blog/archive/2019/08) - [September 2020 (3)](https://www.shiftpoints.com/blog/archive/2020/09) - [October 2020 (3)](https://www.shiftpoints.com/blog/archive/2020/10) - [March 2025 (3)](https://www.shiftpoints.com/blog/archive/2025/03) - [July 2020 (2)](https://www.shiftpoints.com/blog/archive/2020/07) - [April 2018 (1)](https://www.shiftpoints.com/blog/archive/2018/04) - [January 2023 (1)](https://www.shiftpoints.com/blog/archive/2023/01) - [January 2024 (1)](https://www.shiftpoints.com/blog/archive/2024/01) - [February 2025 (1)](https://www.shiftpoints.com/blog/archive/2025/02) 08-20-19 ## What Causes Organizational Dysfunction? ![Potholes](https://www.shiftpoints.com/hs-fs/hubfs/Potholes.jpg?width=1920&name=Potholes.jpg)I believe that the root cause of virtually every organizational problem is misalignment. *Why do I believe that? Let me count the ways!* When your market vision is misaligned, you miss growth opportunities. When your business model is misaligned, you lose money.  When your human resources strategy is misaligned, you hire the wrong people. When your product development team is misaligned, you build the wrong product. When your operating model is misaligned, people spend endless hours in internal coordination meetings. When your mission-critical processes are misaligned, you miss your deadlines and irritate your customers. When your management system is misaligned, decisions are frequently overturned. When marketing and sales are misaligned, you miss your revenue targets. When management and labor are misaligned, workers go on strike. When the board and the CEO are misaligned, the CEO gets fired. I could go on, but you get the point: *misalignment is the root of virtually every organizational dysfunction.* We also see misalignment as the root cause of most interpersonal conflicts. For example, recently I was coaching an executive who was struggling to meet his numbers. I asked him, “Why are you missing your numbers?” He gave me an explanation that seemed plausible, but then I asked, “Would your boss agree with that explanation?” “Probably not.” Given that the executive and his boss were not aligned on the root cause of the problem, there was little chance that they would agree on the executive’s proposed solution. In another session, a different executive was recounting her accomplishments. Again, I asked the question, “Would your boss agree with that list?” “Probably not.” In both cases, the executives and their bosses were misaligned. Alignment is both a strategic corporate issue and a tactical interpersonal one. ***That is why improving alignment is Job One!*** [View Other Posts](https://www.shiftpoints.com/blog) [View all posts for this blog](https://www.shiftpoints.com/blog)   **Copyright © 2026, SHIFTPOINTS, Inc. 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