A team’s strength lies in its sense of purpose. Without clear direction and alignment, even the most capable individuals can become fragmented and ineffective. This is particularly true for strategic teams, which are meant to work collaboratively toward organisational goals. However, when these teams consist of operational leaders focused on their own divisions, rather than a collective vision, they risk becoming ineffective.
When a team lacks a shared purpose, it turns into a collection of silos, each leader prioritising their department's interests over the organisation’s broader goals. This fragmentation erodes trust, stifles collaboration, and ultimately prevents the organisation from achieving its larger objectives.
The Issue: Misalignment of Purpose and Actions
While each operational lead may assert alignment with the organisation’s purpose, strategic decisions often reveal a different story. Leaders may fail to see the broader impact of their decisions, particularly when those choices may harm their division in the short term for the benefit of the entire organisation. This disconnect leads to a strategic team that, despite agreeing on the goal, struggles to act collaboratively and cohesively.
The Core Challenge: Division vs. Organisational Strategy
The main challenge lies in the behaviour of leaders. Operational leads, invested in advancing their division’s agenda, often fail to prioritise the organisation’s overall strategy. Strategic decision-making requires balancing competing interests, sometimes making difficult choices that benefit the organisation, even if they disadvantage a division in the short term.
In practice, leaders often protect their domain, especially when divisions compete for limited resources like budget or talent. This creates inefficiency and stalls decision-making, leaving meetings unresolved and divisional needs unaddressed.
Siloed Thinking: The Risk of Division-Based Mentality
When leaders are primarily focused on their division’s success, strategic teams operate in silos. For example, when multiple divisions vie for the same resources, each leader advocates for their own team's needs, sometimes at the expense of the broader organisational goals. This competition diminishes collaboration and dilutes decision-making, making it harder for the team to act swiftly and decisively.
The result is a fragmented team where decisions are either delayed or watered down to avoid conflict, undermining the organisation's larger strategy and slowing business progress.
Breakdown of Trust and Communication
Lack of alignment also leads to a breakdown in trust and communication. When leaders aren’t committed to the collective goals, trust within the team erodes. Strategic teams that struggle to make tough decisions—like reallocating resources or shifting priorities—become ineffective. If leaders are not transparent about their division’s needs or fail to confront challenges, frustration mounts, and underlying tensions prevent productive collaboration.
For a strategic team to function optimally, leaders must engage in open, honest communication, challenge each other's ideas, and make decisions that benefit the organisation, even if those decisions are uncomfortable within their own divisions.
Shifting the Focus: From Division-First to Organisation-First
To overcome fragmentation, the mindset must shift from "division-first" to "organisation-first." Leaders need to understand that their responsibility is to the long-term success of the organisation, not just their division. This shift requires leaders to make decisions that, while difficult, are in the best interest of the entire organisation.
This transition is not easy—it demands selflessness, maturity, and the willingness to make sacrifices. Only then can strategic teams overcome the protectionist mindset that often hampers collaboration and progress.
Building Trust and Effective Decision-Making
For teams to succeed, they must foster trust. Leaders should feel comfortable discussing tough issues and making collaborative decisions. Trust is essential for overcoming resistance and ensuring that decisions are made in the organisation’s best interest.
Additionally, teams must develop processes for timely, decisive action. Strategic teams that delay or soften decisions out of fear of conflict risk becoming ineffective. In high-pressure situations, leaders must be empowered to make bold calls that prioritise the organisation’s long-term success.
Conclusion: The Importance of Shared Purpose
Ultimately, a team is not a team when its members are not united by a shared purpose. Strategic teams can only function effectively when each leader puts the organisation’s needs above their division’s priorities. Achieving this requires open communication, trust-building, and a willingness to make tough decisions. By aligning around a common vision, strategic teams transform from a collection of operational leads into a high-performing, cohesive unit.
Leaders should reflect on whether their strategic teams are aligned or whether divisional interests are undermining organisational goals. HR and People leaders should initiate open discussions about purpose and alignment to ensure teams work toward shared objectives. This alignment will unlock the team’s potential and drive meaningful business outcomes.
For more insights on team dynamics and leadership alignment, explore our resources on leadership strategies, team building, and organisational culture. To discuss how to strengthen your leadership team and drive success through alignment, get in touch with us. Remember, organisations don’t change, people do – one behaviour at a time.
