6 Questions To Bring Clarity to Your First Team!

I have worked with dozens of companies and organizations, addressing team and organizational challenges.

I am always surprised that most leadership teams have no idea who their ‘First Team’ is.

The ‘First Teambest articulated by Patrick Lencioni—is the idea that true leaders prioritize supporting their fellow leaders over their direct reports. They are more responsible to their peers than their individual or “Second” teams.

One of the first areas I address in our client consulting sessions is organizational clarity.

I need to know if the executive team are on the same page regarding foundational concepts of their business.

How do these teams answer questions such as: Why does this organization exist? What is our strategy? What are our goals? Etc.

Confusion and hesitation begin to plague an organization without clear, consistent answers to these questions.

Read more about to create leaders, not followers

Creating alignment at the executive level is essential to building and maintaining a healthy organization.

Imagine employees’ frustration navigating the politics and confusion caused by misaligned leaders.

The slightest bit of daylight between executive team members can overwhelmingly impact employees below.

The Six Critical Questions

In our sessions, I facilitate the exploration of the following six questions:

  • Why do we exist? Beyond making money
  • What do we do? What is it we exist to do?
  • How will we behave? What are our core values
  • How will we succeed? How do we make the best decision?
  • What important work do we need to achieve right now? The one thing that, when accomplished, will significantly advance the company
  • Who does what? Roles and responsibilities

Like in much of leadership, these questions may appear simple on the surface but are profoundly difficult to answer.r

And even more challenging to adhere to.

Test your Team

Many executives assume that they are on the same page as their peers, but this is not the case once they get in a room together and openly discuss these concepts.

Interested in conducting a simple but eye-opening experiment?

Have your team members sit together.

Give everyone a sheet of paper and five minutes to write down their answers to the question, “What do we do?”

Have each person read their answer out and listen to each answer in silence.

Read more about the power of silence.

I think you will be shocked by the discrepancies amongstyouru leadership team members.

Then consider this …

If the key leaders in your organization are not in agreement about “What do we do? How on earth could anyone else understand?

Seize the Advantage

If you ensure your team and company are clear and aligned from the top down on the answers to these six critical questions, you will have an insurmountable advantage over your competition.