Boston Consulting Group's 20-year study of ~2,000 global companies reveals that over 70% of firms undergoing transformation fail to match industry benchmarks within 1–5 years. The root cause: "False Alignment"—executives believe they agree on change goals, but lack true understanding. Unlike mere agreement, alignment requires deep, documented consensus. When leaders skip detailed alignment (the "why," "what," and "how"), teams operate at cross-purposes. The article cites a real energy company where 8 of 13 executives claimed alignment, yet their written descriptions of the new business differed dramatically—one emphasized structural continuity, another emphasized independence from parent company, a third envisioned entirely new assets and leadership. This cognitive bias (False Consensus Effect) undermines transformation success; organizations must enforce explicit, testable agreement before execution.