How to align teams with what matters

How does what you’re working on right now connect with your organisation’s overall strategy? In my experience, the question gets more difficult to answer the deeper you go in the org chart.

Claire Hughes Johnson, who scaled Stripe from 200 to over 6,000 people as COO, argues that real company alignment is based on clear operating structures: reviews, workflows and metrics you can replicate at all levels. In this context, values and goals aren’t just aspirational — they’re guides that help you channel energy in the right direction throughout the company.

This month, I’m sharing Johnson’s insights on scaling and team alignment, along with a framework for OKRs you can use to get your strategy working at every level.

CADENCE CURATION

Listen: Claire Hughes Johnson (Stripe) — Scaling Operations and People | Presentation (50 mins.)

If building systems, communicating effectively, and aligning teams to organisational goals sounds like the stuff of your driest board meeting, think again. As COO of Stripe, Claire Hughes Johnson used exactly these tactics to drive the company’s hypergrowth. In this wonderfully conversational presentation, she shares her insights on why they work.

Key insights on scaling well:

• Operating systems are key to stability: Set up goals, dashboards and metrics (like Google’s OKRs) as central touchpoints that teams can align with. (19:14)
• Set constraints, not bureaucracy: Operating systems and processes are key to scaling. They should help teams align by setting helpful boundaries (how do we play together?), not imposing rigid rules. (21:21)
• Setting clear direction reduces tension: Establishing a common set of goals and metrics prevents silos and conflict at team interfaces. (23:51)

CADENCE TOOLKIT

Tool: OKR Quick-Start Guide

Use the easy-to-follow Cadence Objective and Key Results (OKR) Quick-Start Guide to

• Understand how OKRs fit into and support your company strategy.
• Understand the three key parts of an effective OKR.
• Set OKRs that align team and individual goals with your strategic priorities.

ANY OTHER BUSINESS

When it gets too lonely at the top…