Checking Orientation, Not Opinion

Checking Orientation, Not Opinion

Alignment isn't about whether people have the same opinion. It's about whether they're oriented to the same reality.

Opinion vs. Orientation

Opinions are preferences, conclusions, positions. People can have different opinions and still work well together.

Orientation is how you see the situation—the facts you believe, the constraints you perceive, the priorities you hold. When orientation differs, people aren't just disagreeing—they're talking past each other.

Example:

- Opinion difference: "I think we should use framework A." "I prefer framework B."

- Orientation difference: "We need to ship fast." "We need to ship right." (Different beliefs about what the situation requires)

Why Orientation Matters More

Opinions can be debated productively. Orientation differences often can't—until you surface what's actually different.

When people are differently oriented:

- Debates go in circles

- The same arguments repeat without progress

- Resolution doesn't stick

- People feel frustrated and unheard

The conversation feels like it's about X, but it's actually about different views of reality.

Checking Orientation

Instead of asking "What do you think?", ask:

- "What are you seeing?" Invites description of the situation, not just conclusions.

- "What matters most here?" Surfaces different priorities.

- "What's your biggest concern?" Reveals what each person is protecting.

- "What would have to be true for you to see it differently?" Exposes underlying assumptions.

These questions don't assume someone is wrong. They surface what's different.

When Orientation Differs

Once you surface orientation differences:

1. Name them: "Sounds like we're seeing this differently. You're focused on timeline risk; I'm focused on quality risk."

2. Explore them: "What are you seeing that's driving that concern?"

3. Find the crux: "Where does your view and my view actually conflict?"

4. Seek shared reality: "What do we both agree is true?"

Sometimes orientation differences resolve—people were just seeing different slices of reality. Sometimes they don't—and at least now you're disagreeing about the right things.

The Leader's Role

As a leader, your job isn't to force orientation alignment. It's to:

- Make it safe to surface different orientations

- Help translate between orientations

- Find enough shared orientation to move forward

- Respect that reasonable people can orient differently

Alignment is a process, not a destination.