At Cuyahoga Community College (Tri-C®), we are in the process of rolling out our new strategic transformation plan, called Vision 2030. The plan, which will guide our College through the end of the decade and beyond, is rooted in three pillars that serve as the foundation for our future.
These pillars aren’t just relevant to higher education — they are based on fundamental principles that can, and should, serve as important guidelines for any business or large organization.
In my November column, I examined the first pillar, “Activating People and Potential.” This month, I want to take a deeper dive into the second pillar, “Align Path and Purpose,” and how it can apply to your organization.
At its core, aligning path and purpose means opening doors and removing barriers to progress. At Tri-C, this means we are redesigning the student journey by integrating our pathways to degrees, certificates and post-graduation employment.
We recently reorganized our academic departments into five schools to support student pathways, streamlined the enrollment process, and introduced our first bachelor’s degree program last year — with more planned before the end of the decade.
All of these changes and improvements were made to provide solutions for students in every walk of life. We don’t just want to bring students into our classrooms and hand them a piece of paper when they’re done here. We want them to go into the world as educated, empowered and employed individuals ready to add momentum to our region and economy.
How will you use your resources and processes to add momentum for the people your company touches? Here are some things to remember when aligning your path and purpose:
Define your purpose and objectives: You cannot create well-defined pathways without knowing your purpose. What are your goals as an organization? What outcomes do you want to achieve for customers, clients or others you serve? How do you want to grow? How do you want your employees to grow? These are questions you should ask not just yourself but your entire leadership team.
Discover what is standing in the way of your goals: This isn’t just on a high level. You can discuss market fluctuations, economic variables and other macro-level factors. But think about the barriers at the ground level for those you serve.
How are you removing barriers to solutions for your customers? How are you removing barriers to professional growth for your employees? How are you making your company run more smoothly for everyone you encounter? The people around you can help you realize your purpose when they are placed on the straightest path to achieving their individual goals.
Continuously evaluate: Maintaining alignment isn’t just a one-time task or even something you revisit every so often. It requires constant evaluation and re-evaluation. Talk to your employees. Ask your customers for feedback. Review the metrics and benchmarks you have established. Amass your data in a central location so it can be analyzed.
Aligning your path and purpose is hard work, but it is essential, and you will reap the benefits if you are committed to removing barriers and striving for the best outcomes. This type of alignment turns everyone into a change agent, invested in making your organization the best version of itself. ●
Michael A. Baston is President of Cuyahoga Community College
