When I ask a leader that question, they almost invariably begin talking about the business function or the people they manage. It makes sense. They think about their "own" team or the people they manage, teach, develop, and care for. During my tenure as a sales leader, I would have responded in the same manner. But why?
After all, the senior team, or ELT, is arguably the most critical team in the organization. It sets the company's direction. It allocates resources. It makes all the long-term strategic decisions.
It's worth pondering: How often do we witness leaders extending the same level of ownership to the executive leadership team they belong to as they do to the team that reports to them?
This disparity often plays out in senior leadership meetings. These sessions often consist of a series of report-outs to the CEO, with members trying to demonstrate how smart they are. There may be turf wars and political jockeying. There may be an elephant (or two) in the room.
It is said that what is good for the team is always good for the individual members. Yet what is good for an individual member may not be good for the team.
It is a helpful exercise for the ELT to take the time to build their collective why (not just to put it on the wall 😗) and brainstorm ways in which they can better operate as a team in service of that why. The trick is that everyone must contribute to the building process. Discussion and healthy conflict may be needed to capture everyone’s best thinking and reach consensus. The leadership team, not just the CEO, has ownership and mutual accountability to the why and the behaviors that support it.
Doing so helps to break down the silos. The team provides increased value, which in turn impacts the entire organization.