Is Everyone on the Same Page?

I’ve been thinking a lot lately about how hard January can be, especially this one.

The work is already moving. Deadlines are real. Capacity is tight. And on top of that, there’s a kind of background weight many of us are carrying, about the world, about the work, about what’s coming next.

In moments like this, I notice the same thing showing up again and again: people are working hard, but not always in the same direction.

It’s rarely obvious at first. Everyone is committed. Everyone is busy. But decisions feel heavier than they should. Small misunderstandings take more energy to sort out. Progress slows, even though effort hasn’t.

That’s usually when I start wondering whether we’re actually on the same page, or whether we’ve just assumed we are.

What “same page” really means

Being on the same page doesn’t mean everyone agrees. It doesn’t mean consensus, enthusiasm, or alignment on every decision.

Most of the time, it’s much simpler than that. It means having a shared understanding of a few basic things:

• What we’re really focused on right now

• What needs to land before the end of the fiscal year

• What’s staying the same — and what’s still open

• How decisions will get made when priorities bump up against each other

When those things aren’t said out loud, people fill in the gaps themselves. And when teams are tired or distracted, those assumptions don’t always line up.

That’s not a character flaw. It’s human.

Why this feels harder right now

For leaders heading into the final stretch of the fiscal year, January is demanding even in calmer times.

This year, it feels heavier.

Many teams are navigating fatigue, worry about the wider world, and less tolerance for ambiguity than usual. At the same time, leaders, especially those earlier in their leadership journey, are often carrying responsibility without much room to pause and check their footing.

In that context, misalignment doesn’t just slow things down. It adds strain where there’s already very little to spare.

That’s why I’ve come to think of alignment less as a “leadership skill” and more as a form of care.

A simple way to check in

Alignment doesn’t need a big reset or a formal process. In fact, when things feel heavy, smaller moves tend to work better.

Here’s a simple check-in I’ve seen help in teams, leadership tables, and cross-functional work:

First: ask people what they think the main focus is right now, in their own words. Listen for where things line up, and where they don’t.

Second: name what’s fixed and what’s flexible. What’s constrained by timelines, funding, or commitments? Where is there actually room to adjust?

Third: talk about what “good enough” looks like at this stage. This matters more than we like to admit. It helps people aim in the same direction without pushing past capacity.

You don’t need perfect clarity. You just need enough shared understanding to keep pulling in the same direction.

Alignment isn’t just about teams

If you’re early in your leadership journey, a lot of this work probably happens up and across, not just with the people you manage.

Sometimes alignment sounds like:

• “What does success look like by the end of this year?”

• “Where do you need consistency, and where is flexibility helpful?”

• “What would you want to know early if things start to drift?”

I remember how vulnerable those questions felt to ask early on. But I’ve also seen how much steadier things become when they’re named.

They don’t signal uncertainty. They signal care.

When it’s working

When people really are on the same page, you can feel it.

There are fewer last-minute surprises. Decisions come a little easier. The work moves at a pace that feels possible, even when the context isn’t.

Alignment doesn’t make the weight disappear. But it keeps that weight from turning into confusion or unnecessary friction.

One last thought

In moments like this, it can feel tempting to push harder or move faster, to power through.

But some of the most helpful leadership moments I’ve seen are quieter ones: slowing the conversation just enough to make sure we understand each other before we keep going.

If you’re navigating the stretch between now and March, it might be worth asking, gently, and out loud: Are we actually on the same page right now?

If the answer isn’t clear, that’s okay. It’s often the beginning of a better conversation.

- Andrea