---
id: "action-articulate-shared-intention"
type: "action-item"
source_timestamps: ["§ Integrating disparate intentions and ways of working", "¶21", "¶23"]
tags: ["communication", "conflict-resolution"]
related: ["concept-social-glue", "entity-nicole-m-jones", "framework-initiative-canvas"]
action: "Constantly remind partners of the shared 'north star' and explicitly link it to their individual priorities."
outcome: "Maintained momentum during conflicts and a unified focus that acts as a tiebreaker in heated debates."
source_url: "https://hbr.org/2026/03/why-great-innovations-fail-to-scale"
source_title: "Why Great Innovations Fail to Scale"
sources: ["futures"]
sourceVaultSlug: "hbr-seg-futures"
originDay: 2
articleStem: "hbr-nm-102-innovations-fail-to-scale"
sourceUrl: "https://hbr.org/2026/03/why-great-innovations-fail-to-scale"
sourceTitle: "Why Great Innovations Fail to Scale"
---
# Repeatedly articulate the shared intention

**Action:** To build [[concept-social-glue|social glue]] and navigate inevitable conflicts, [[concept-bridger|bridgers]] must repeatedly articulate a shared **'north star'** (e.g., improving the end-to-end customer experience). Crucially, they must **explicitly link** this shared intention to the individual — sometimes defensive — priorities of each partner (e.g., showing IT how maintaining uptime is fundamental to that customer experience).

**Outcome:** Maintained momentum during conflicts and a unified focus that acts as a **tiebreaker** in heated debates. *Exemplar:* [[entity-nicole-m-jones|Nicole M. Jones]] aligning IT and CLEAR at Delta; captured up front via the [[framework-initiative-canvas|Initiative Canvas]].