The senior management team is the social and cultural engine that drives organization performance. Senior teams juggle and resolve a myriad of issues like strategy formulation, productivity improvement, changing markets, competition, innovation, quality, and talent management. Yet to succeed in the market place today, senior teams have to collaborate, share information across silos, make collaborative decisions and solve big problems. In order to do this, members of senior leadership teams need to communicate easily, constantly share information, and develop a high level of trust. They need to know each other’s needs and styles, and to be cohesive and aligned around common goals.

Is it possible for people at the senior leadership level of your organization to work as a cohesive team? After all, you are probably dealing with a group of very independently minded-individuals who are self-confident (maybe even egotistical) at this point in their careers. In addition, you are likely looking at a group of people who are hyper-competitive, hard driving, and unlikely to seek out help from others. These individuals have probably been compensated and rewarded for results within their individual business units. They are very focused on “righting their own ships” rather than worrying about other parts of the business. Finally, these individuals may even be in pitched battle for the final career move into the CEO’s or COO’s office. So an equally important question is this: is working as a team important or does some degree of collaboration add value at the top of the organization?

The Leadership Ring

The ring has a circular shape that forms to fit the finger. A circle is never-ending. It is constant and infinite. Likewise, a true leaders is constant. Leaders are not people-pleasers nor do they sway to the left or right depending on who is around them. They are constant in their morals; in their vision and viewpoints. Rings are also solid and sturdy. Leaders stand their ground and are not indecisive. They are firm in their commitment. Rings can be molded and fitted to the finger to make the perfect fit so that they never slip off, get lost, or inflict pain. Likewise, leaders can be selected for specific and special purposes. One person can be the perfect match for a specific situation where another person might not. It all depends on the situation, the people involved, and the needs of the group.

“Hey you. Yeah, you over there. What are you doing?” “If I don’t see that report on my desk by 3:00, you are fired!” It is amazing how powerful just a few words can be. Words can be used to put down, degrade, and discourage or to build up, edify, and encourage. Managers who try to lead with a command and control approach will likely get only what they ask for and not much more, but team members will not be motivated to be highly successful. A great leader is one who motivates others in a positive way and inspires them to accomplish tasks and assignments with effectiveness. The motivation of a team or workforce doesn’t necessarily lie on the teammates or the co-workers themselves, rather in the leader and coach who guides them.

Background

Recently I had the opportunity to facilitate CMOE’s Exploring Teamwork workshop for a Fortune 50 company. As a quick background, this company has open enrollment workshops. So, at this workshop, there was quite a mix of attendees; two senior vice presidents, one vice president, two directors, five managers, and six individual (hourly) contributors. This kind of diversity in a class is always fun and stimulating.

A few years ago when I was working for a global pharmaceutical company, I had the chance to work with a colleague from Canada. One day, when we went out to eat Japanese food, I noticed that Roger picked up a bowl of miso soup, and finished it all. Then he moved on to another dish and finished that. Roger’s eating style was to focus on each dish, one by one, according to a defined pattern. Seeing him eat Japanese food in what I perceived as a Western approach was a big eye-opener for me in regards to team effectiveness in a cross-culture setting.

At a fair or amusement park you might find a game of skill called “Whack - a - Mole.” The point of the game is to wait for one of several moles to raise its head through a hole in a platform and then “whack”
it with a padded mallet before the mole quickly ducks below the platform. Just as fast as you whack one mole, another one appears. The point of the game is to test your concentration, reaction time, and
hand-eye coordination. On a game I recently watched my grandchildren play, there were nine moles that poked their heads above the platform. Points are won each time a mole is whacked before it disappears.

I’ll call the first boss “Joe.” He was a gruff, no-nonsense, all business type of person who saw himself as important, powerful, significant, and highly effective. He had worked his way up the organization from an entry level clerk to the president’s office and was obviously proud to have the authority of being the top executive in a large company.