Your departmental team vs your (boss’s)executive team?

I used to believe that my first priority as a leader was my own team.
The people I hired, managed, developed, and fought for.  The part of the business I understood.
They were my focus.

The executive team I was part of?
That was secondary. Sure, we met regularly, but my real loyalty was to my department.

I was wrong. Delusional.

Patrick Lencioni explains this perfectly—your executive team must be your first team.
Why?

Because if leadership is misaligned at the top:
❌ Conflicts trickle down – Your team ends up caught in power struggles they can’t control.
❌ Mixed messages – If executives aren’t unified, teams receive inconsistent direction.
❌ Siloed thinking – Prioritising only your own team creates internal competition instead of collaboration.

When executive teams work together first, the whole organisation benefits. Your team members perform better because you’ve removed obstacles, not added to them.

Where should your priority lie? 

Written by Jonathan Stern
ICF Certified Coach | Gallup CliftonStrengths Certified | Former MuleSoft ANZ Leader
I coach high-potential leaders and high-potential scale-ups.
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