“Not finance. Not strategy. Not technology. It is teamwork that remains the ultimate competitive advantage, both because it is so powerful and so rare.”

- Patrick Lencioni

A company’s success hinges on the performance of its senior team. These are the leaders who shape vision, drive culture, and steer their organization through challenges and opportunities. But what happens when this team isn’t working cohesively? Misalignment, poor communication, and unresolved conflicts can cost the business not just in revenue but in morale and reputation. For senior teams to thrive, it’s crucial they operate at peak performance. This is where Patrick Lencioni’s Five Behaviors® Model comes into play—a practical, research-based framework designed to build strong, effective teams that trust each other, engage in healthy conflict, commit to shared goals, hold each other accountable, and focus on the team’s results.

What Is a Senior Team and Why Must it Excel?

A senior team comprises the highest leadership level within an organization, responsible for shaping the strategic direction, making critical decisions, and ensuring that every department aligns with the company's mission. Their role is pivotal—not only is a senior team tasked with overseeing long-term goals, but they are also the gatekeepers of company culture. If a senior team performs poorly, the ripple effects can impact the entire organization, slowing innovation and diminishing employee engagement. This is why it’s imperative that senior teams function at a high level, operating with mutual trust, clear communication, and accountability.

Patrick Lencioni and The Five Behaviors® Model

Patrick Lencioni’s Five Behaviors® Model outlines five key areas that, when developed effectively, transform a senior team into a powerhouse of high performance. These behaviors are trust, conflict, commitment, accountability, and results. This model explained in-depth in Lencioni’s bestseller The Five Dysfunctions of a Team, highlights how dysfunction in any of these areas can cripple a team’s ability to collaborate, innovate, and achieve objectives.

1. Trust. The foundation of any team, especially a senior team, is trust. Without it, team members are hesitant to share ideas or express concerns, leading to stifled creativity and productivity. Lencioni emphasizes the importance of vulnerability-based trust, where leaders are open and honest with each other about their weaknesses and fears.

2. Conflict. Healthy conflict is necessary for growth. Rather than avoiding tough conversations, senior teams need to engage in constructive debates about strategies, priorities, and challenges. Avoiding conflict creates an environment where unresolved issues simmer, eventually boiling over in destructive ways. Each member has to weigh in and have their voice heard in the debate.

3. Commitment. Once the conflict is addressed, members must fully commit to the decisions made. A lack of commitment will lead to half-hearted execution of strategies, which directly affects performance.

4. Accountability. Strong teams hold each other accountable. In a senior team, this means ensuring that every leader follows through on their commitments and responsibilities without letting personal relationships or rank get in the way.

5. Results. Ultimately, a team’s success is measured by the results they deliver. Senior teams need to stay focused on collective outcomes rather than individual goals. This focus on results ensures that the organization moves forward as a unified front.

Lencioni further expands on these principles in The Advantage, where he argues that building a cohesive senior leadership team is the ultimate competitive advantage for any organization. The clarity and alignment that come from a strong senior team create a ripple effect across the company, boosting employee engagement, operational efficiency, and overall success.

Leadership Development for Senior Teams

Developing senior teams into cohesive, high-functioning units isn’t just a one-time initiative—it requires ongoing commitment and development. At The Heffelfinger Company, expert coaches specialize in working with senior teams to implement The Five Behaviors® Model and drive transformational change.

Heffelfinger Co. is an emerald award-winning Authorized Partner, offering The Five Behaviors® workshops and certifications. Through these workshops, Heffelfinger Co. helps leaders build trust, foster healthy conflict, create accountability, and focus on the results that matter. By leveraging tools and methodologies rooted in Lencioni’s work, The Heffelfinger Co. empowers senior teams to reach their full potential, creating long-term success for their organizations. Whether it’s through individual coaching or group facilitation, The Heffelfinger Co. guides senior teams to overcome dysfunction and become the driving force behind a thriving, high-performing company.

Warmly,

James & Lori

James Jackman & Lori Heffelfinger

Sources:

Lencioni. Patrick. The Five Dysfunctions of a Team: A Leadership Fable. Hoboken, NJ. Jossey-Bass. April 11, 2002.

Lencioni. Patrick. The Advantage. Hoboken, NJ. Jossey-Bass. March, 13, 2012.