Executive Team Dynamics – The Catalyst for Improved Effectiveness

Tuesday, September 15th, 2009

“Executive Teams rather than individual executives deliver significant results in business”

The costs incurred by businesses, both financial and emotional, when senior people are not working effectively as an executive team, are significant.

When organisations wish to achieve new levels of performance and growth, the dynamics of the executive team are critical. Their collective energy is required to get an organisation moving in a new direction, or to lift the organisation to a new level of success.

Teams, rather than individual executives, deliver significant results in a business. Considerable energy is required and that energy must be harnessed to drive outcomes rather than being wasted on internal executive team issues.

Team issues such as lack of openness, lack of trust, lack of understanding and a perception of different values and objectives, are common dynamics that sap executive team energy and prevent them optimising their potential. Resolving and getting beyond these challenges is a prerequisite for optimising executive team performance.

Recently we worked with the executive team of a NZ public company who were concerned that team members were operating with an individual rather than a team focus. It became apparent early on that this team was operating ineffectively and there was a lack of openness and trust within the team. Following the first half day facilitation in which this openness and trust was tabled and worked on, the leader reported to us that he had noticed a significant difference in the way team members were relating and in team dynamics.

Leaders who want their executive team to achieve something special, first need to ensure they are a team in the very best sense of the word. Anything is possible when team members are getting on, have overcome challenges, and brought into a common direction and set of guiding principles.

When your executive team is ready to experience the benefits of improved dynamics go to our leadership teams page or return to the blog categories page.