To reach agreement or consensus on a particular issue, goal, or approach.
From the literal sense of 'align' meaning to place in a straight line (1600s), derived from French 'aligner.' The business usage emerged in the 1980s-90s as organizations emphasized teamwork and consensus-building.
The phrase suggests that good teamwork is like precision engineering - everyone must be perfectly positioned and pointing in the same direction. It's more active than simply 'agreeing' because it implies ongoing adjustment and maintenance, like constantly tuning an instrument.
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