Building High-Performance Leadership Teams: Why It Matters and How to Get There
“As goes the leadership team, so goes the entire company.”
John Spence’s words cut straight to the heart of why your leadership team is either your company’s greatest asset—or its biggest liability.
A dysfunctional leadership team doesn’t just hurt morale at the top. Its effects ripple through the entire organization, impacting communication, trust, and productivity. And as collaboration breaks down, so do your bottom-line results.
On the other hand, a high-performing leadership team acts as a force multiplier. When leaders are aligned, they drive clarity, foster accountability, and create a culture of trust that empowers the entire organization to succeed.
If you’re seeing cracks in your company’s culture, it might be time to look in the mirror: Does your leadership team operate with trust, candor, and focus? Or is it stuck in a cycle of blame, miscommunication, or avoidance?
What High-Performance Leadership Teams Do Differently
Thriving companies aren’t led by heroes; they’re led by high-performing teams. Here’s what sets them apart:
1. They Build Trust
Trust isn’t just a warm, fuzzy idea—it’s the bedrock of effective leadership. Teams that trust each other make decisions faster, collaborate better, and recover from mistakes more easily. Without trust, even the most talented leaders will waste time and energy protecting themselves rather than moving the organization forward.
Action Tip: Commit to regular, open conversations about how your team operates. Tools like the Five Dysfunctions of a Team assessment by Patrick Lencioni can help identify and address trust gaps.
2. They Speak With Candor
Candor fuels collaboration. High-performance leadership teams aren’t afraid to challenge one another, but they do so with respect and a shared focus on results. This honesty prevents “meeting after the meeting” dynamics where real opinions are only shared in private.
Action Tip: Create a safe space for tough conversations. Establish ground rules for meetings that encourage debate and discourage politicking.
3. They Hold Each Other Accountable
Accountability isn’t about pointing fingers—it’s about delivering on commitments. The best leadership teams set clear expectations and hold themselves and each other to the highest standards.
Action Tip: Use a framework like OKRs (Objectives and Key Results) or Scaling Up to align on goals, track progress, and measure success.
4. They Focus on the Company, Not Personal Agendas
Infighting and office politics kill progress. High-performing teams keep their eyes on the prize: the success of the company. This means setting aside egos and working collaboratively toward shared goals.
Action Tip: Regularly revisit your company’s core priorities. Are you aligned as a team? If not, recalibrate together.
Diagnosing Dysfunction
Think about your leadership team. Do any of these issues sound familiar?
- Meetings that are dominated by the loudest voices instead of the best ideas.
- A lack of follow-through on key initiatives.
- Teams that avoid conflict instead of addressing it head-on.
- Erosion of trust, leading to silos or finger-pointing.
If you’re nodding along, don’t panic—but don’t ignore the problem either. Dysfunctional leadership teams don’t fix themselves. It takes commitment and effort to break bad habits and build new, healthier ones.
Making the Shift
Here’s how to start turning things around:
- Get an Outside Perspective: Whether it’s a trusted advisor, coach, or a team assessment tool, outside perspectives can help identify blind spots and opportunities for improvement.
- Invest in Team Development: High-performing teams don’t happen by accident. Regular leadership retreats, workshops, or facilitated discussions can create the space your team needs to grow.
- Set the Example: Change starts at the top. As a leader, model the behaviors you want to see in your team: honesty, accountability, and collaboration.
Final Thoughts
Building a high-performance leadership team is one of the smartest moves you can make for your company. It’s not easy work, but the payoff is worth it: better results, a stronger culture, and a more resilient organization.
As John Spence reminds us, “As goes the leadership team, so goes the entire company.” If you’re ready to align your team for success, the first step is acknowledging where you stand today—and committing to where you want to go.
