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Is Your Senior Leadership Team Really a Team?

February 10, 2015

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Is Your Senior Leadership Team Really a Team

I met the company chairman at an evening function. After dinner, as we were leaving, he asked if he could have a conversation with me over coffee as soon as practicable. I agreed.

When we met he launched straight into it “I’ve done my homework on you and I’d like your thoughts. I’ve got a board of directors who are frustrated with our executive team. I’ve got to take action and I’d like you to help me design what to do. Are you interested?”

I paused, looked him respectfully in the eye and replied “I’m interested in finding out more. What’s the story?”

He described that the executives were all high performers and competitive with each other.

I asked “So how does that impact on the business?”

He said “Firstly we get conflicting opinions and advice from the executive team. Secondly it causes our board to align with the different opinions. It makes setting strategy difficult.”

I asked “Does that mean that your directors are also competing with each other?”

He paused and said “Yes, I guess so”.

I asked “Could you describe more about how your board works? I know their names and that there are five plus you, and you all seem to be really experienced. And it’s good to see a gender balance. I’m interested in how you all interact with each other and with the executive team.”

He nodded, and kept silent for what felt like too long. I was patient and waited.

“No. I’d like you to discover that and tell me” he eventually said.

I did as he asked.

The directors and executives were indeed all high performers in their own right, but they weren’t a team. They were individuals focussed on their directorship portfolio and divisional roles.

They didn’t understand each other’s behavioural preferences and there wasn’t an effective communication protocol.

Strategic meetings excluded implementers and operational leaders.

It didn’t take long to remedy the situation, because they were all willing to improve.

The impact of the improvements quickly flowed through to the entire organisation.

I have found this situation to be a common occurrence.

What’s been your experience?

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