It is a primary responsibility of the executive leadership team to set the stage for an organizations ultimate success.  This team essentially sets the course for all other teams within an organization to focus on and pursue excellence.  Highly functional executive leadership teams, engaging with their organizations, dramatically outperform others.

How do you determine the effectiveness of an executive leadership team or most any  team for that matter?  What does it take to be an effective team?  All teams, whether executive leadership level or not, must generally relate with and rely upon other teams.

Many years ago, Peter Drucker developed a list of eight practices that make up an effective executive team.  Since that time, these practices have been utilized as hallmarks for organizations to assess and develop improved functionality of teams over time.

Every great executive team follows these eight practices:

1. Team members ask each other “How can I support you.?”
2. Team members hold each other accountable, while also allowing each one to show vulnerability.
3. Team practices open and authentic communication.
4. Team arrives at key decisions together through discussion, debate, and synthesis.
5. Team has fun.
6. Team members see success of the whole team as the best form of success.
7. Team operates at a strategic level and empowers the organization around them to make and execute operational decisions.
8. Each team member builds their own teams following these principles.

Each member of every team needs to hold a share of the accountability for the success of each team, not just the leader.  Executive leadership teams may work to set the stage exceptionally well, but it is ultimately the responsibility of each individual to dutifully act their part.  No one can do this in entirety for another.

In reviewing the hallmark practices that Drucker outlined for effective teams above, it is a good idea to regularly assess yourself.  Both as a member of a team and as a leader of a team.

MITM