Which practice helps ensure progress is aligned across departments?

• A. Department-specific metrics with no cross-functional comparison.
• B. Allow departments to set their own goals without alignment.
• C. Use metrics without a formal review process.
• D. Establish cross-functional reviews with shared metrics to align goals.

Answer: (D)

Aligning progress across departments hinges on regular collaboration and a common measurement system. Establishing cross-functional reviews with shared metrics creates a single, coordinated view of goals and performance. When representatives from different areas come together to review progress, they can discuss dependencies, resource needs, and potential conflicts, making it easier to adjust plans so everyone is moving in the same direction. Shared metrics ensure everyone interprets the data the same way, which reduces local optimization and keeps attention on the broader objectives. This formal review cadence builds accountability and transparency, so actions are aligned with the overall strategy rather than isolated departmental aims.

Siloed approaches, where each department tracks its own metrics without cross-functional comparison, tend to hide misalignments and encourage local optimization. Letting departments set goals without alignment can create conflicting priorities and competing resource demands. Using metrics without a formal review process leaves no structured follow-up, so progress can drift without timely corrective actions.