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Summary.
In pursuit of strong performance, CEOs often overlook a critical factor in organizational success: the health of their leadership team. That’s a big problem, because a dysfunctional team can be a serious drag on strategy execution. To learn more about the problems that affect leadership teams, the authors interviewed more than 100 CEOs and senior executives in a multiyear research program. They identified three main patterns of dysfunction: the shark tank, characterized by infighting and political maneuvering; the petting zoo, characterized by conflict avoidance and an overemphasis on collaboration; and the mediocracy, characterized by complacency, a lack of competence, and an unhealthy focus on past success. This article helps leadership teams diagnose their dynamic and find ways to improve it.
In their pursuit of strong performance, CEOs and executives often overlook a critical factor in organizational success: the health of their leadership team. That’s a big problem, because a dysfunctional team can become a serious drag on strategy execution and erode morale. Not only that, the health of a senior team can make or break a CEO’s tenure.