Unify Leadership Teams Using Lencioni's First Team Model

Transform your leadership dynamics with Lencioni’s First Team Model and drive unparalleled organizational success.

Understanding the Lencioni First Team Model

Patrick Lencioni’s First Team Model is an innovative framework designed to enhance the cohesion and effectiveness of executive leadership teams. Instead of viewing the executive team as a collection of department heads, Lencioni’s model promotes the idea that the primary team for any executive is the executive team itself, not their individual departments. This shift in perspective encourages a unified approach to decision-making, where the team prioritizes the organization’s overall success over individual departmental goals.

The model is built on the foundation of trust, constructive conflict, commitment, accountability, and a focus on results. By adhering to these principles, leadership teams can break down silos, foster open communication, and drive collective accountability, ultimately leading to more robust and effective decision-making processes.

Why Traditional Leadership Structures Fall Short

Traditional leadership structures often create silos where department heads focus primarily on their own areas of responsibility. This can lead to fragmented decision-making, inefficiencies, and a lack of alignment with the organization's overall goals. When leaders are more concerned with protecting their turf than collaborating, it hampers the organization’s ability to respond swiftly and effectively to challenges and opportunities.

In contrast, the First Team Model addresses these issues by encouraging leaders to view themselves as part of a single, cohesive unit. This approach fosters a culture of collaboration, where the success of the organization as a whole takes precedence over individual departmental achievements. As a result, decision-making becomes more aligned, strategic, and effective.

Practical Strategies to Implement the First Team Model

Implementing the First Team Model requires a deliberate shift in mindset and practices.

Here are some practical strategies to help you get started:

1. Build Trust: Foster an environment where team members feel safe expressing their opinions and taking risks.  Trust is the foundation of any high-performing team.

• Model vulnerability as a leader. Share what you’re working on or where you messed up.
• Use 360 feedback to create a culture of openness (with support and coaching).
• Start meetings with a check-in round that goes beyond status updates.

2. Encourage Constructive Conflict: Promote open and honest discussions about ideas and strategies. Constructive conflict leads to better decision-making and innovation.

• Create structured debates,  e.g., “Devil’s advocate” roles in decision-making.
• Debrief decisions: Ask, "Did we debate that enough?"
• Train on difficult conversations and managing disagreements respectfully.

3. Ensure Commitment: Once a decision is made, all team members should fully commit to it, even if they initially disagreed. This unified front is crucial for effective implementation.

• Summarize decisions in meetings with clarity on who, what, and when.
• Use decision logs or decision briefs to avoid decision amnesia.
• Clarify alignment vs. agreement, e.g., "You don’t have to agree, but we align."

4. Emphasize Accountability: Hold each other accountable for commitments and performance. Peer accountability is a powerful motivator for maintaining high standards.

• Create shared goals and OKRs for the team, not just individual KPIs.
• Use public scoreboards or dashboards to track progress.
• Schedule regular peer feedback sessions.

5. Focus on Results: Keep the organization’s goals at the forefront of all discussions and decisions. Aligning efforts towards common objectives ensures that the team works towards the same endgame.

• Set First Team goals first, then cascade down.
• Celebrate cross-functional wins at the leadership level.
• Assess performance as a team, not just individually.

Real-World Success Story

Numerous companies have successfully adopted the First Team Model to transform their leadership dynamics. For instance, we’ve seen a client implement the model and generate significant improvement in cross-departmental collaboration and decision-making speed. Their leadership team reported higher levels of trust and engagement, which translated into better overall performance and customer satisfaction.

Another example is Philo, which used the First Team Model to break down silos and enhance strategic alignment. This shift enabled them to respond more effectively to market changes and accelerate their growth trajectory. These real-world success stories highlight the transformative potential of the First Team Model for companies looking to achieve high-performance leadership.

Take the Next Step: Elevate Your Leadership with Fig Learning

Are you ready to elevate your executive team’s decision-making capabilities and drive organizational success? Fig Learning offers tailored leadership development programs designed to help you implement the Lencioni First Team Model effectively.

→Book a call with Fig Learning today to learn more about how our expert guidance can elevate your leadership dynamics and empower your team to achieve extraordinary results.