High Functioning Leadership Teams: 3 Must-Have Components

High Functioning Leadership Teams Drive Organizational Success
Research and our leadership simulation assessment data confirm that high functioning leadership teams are essential for sustained organizational success, resilience, and growth. The strength of these teams extends far beyond top-level decision-making — it influences every facet of the business, from daily operations to long-term strategic planning. Organizations that invest in building cohesive, effective leadership teams position themselves to navigate challenges, seize opportunities, and consistently outperform their competitors.

Three Essential Components of High Functioning Leadership Teams
Our leadership development experience shows that high functioning leadership teams succeed when they fully embrace three critical components: psychological safety, courageous followership, and connectedness. Together, these elements foster inclusion and belonging — the foundational drivers of both high performance and sustained team effectiveness.

1. Psychological Safety: Embrace It Together
   Psychological team safety is often misunderstood as mere comfort — a “safe” space where nothing risky is said. In truth, it requires courage. It asks team members to take interpersonal risks, speak up, and share ideas boldly, knowing the team has their back. The payoff is profound.

   Picture a team where everyone contributes ideas freely, challenges assumptions constructively, and supports one another without fear. This is the essence of what Amy Edmondson defines as psychological safety in The Fearless Organization. It’s the glue that binds high performing leadership teams and fuels action learning leadership development programs.

   At its core, psychological safety is not about avoiding fear of backlash; it’s about cultivating the bravery to voice your perspective even when stakes are high. Teams that embrace this principle commit to creating a culture of open feedback, candid discussions, and mutual respect — where every member feels valued and empowered to contribute.

2. Courageous Followership: Speak Up and Dive In
   Ira Chaleff introduced the concept of Courageous Followership to describe a critical dynamic in effective teams. He observed that team members often fall into one of two patterns: some unquestioningly support decisions but avoid contributing ideas or problem-solving, while others constantly challenge ideas but only engage when it’s their own initiative.

   High performing leaders avoid these extremes. They move fluidly between questioning and supporting, adapting to the needs of the leadership team. This balance requires the mindset of a courageous follower.

   A courageous follower debates openly and thoughtfully, bringing ideas and concerns to the table without fear. Yet once a decision is made, they commit fully, lending their energy and focus to achieving the team’s shared goals. In essence, courageous followership is about blending thoughtful challenge with wholehearted execution.

3. Connectedness: Stay Tuned and In Sync
   Genuine connectedness allows a leadership team to turn the conditions of psychological safety and courageous followership into strategic action and measurable results.  Much like a jazz ensemble, each leader brings a unique instrument and style to the stage — some bold like a trumpet, others subtle like a double bass. The true magic emerges not from individual talent, but from the harmony they create together, listening, adapting, and weaving their distinct contributions into a cohesive performance.

   In leadership teams, connectedness means tuning into one another’s perspectives, understanding individual strengths, and valuing each member’s contributions. It is the bridge that transforms candid dialogue and committed followership into collaborative innovation and shared achievement.

   Creating connectedness builds on the foundations of psychological safety and courageous followership. Think of those as the practice sessions each team member brings to the stage — connectedness is the live performance where those skills shine. It’s about embracing diversity, co-creating impact, and adapting gracefully when disagreements or missteps occur. Just as jazz musicians improvise to maintain harmony, connected teams navigate friction with resilience, keeping the collective focus on shared goals.

   In short, connectedness ensures that a leadership team not only functions but thrives — transforming individual voices into a unified, dynamic, and high-performing symphony.

The Bottom Line
Aligning and leading a senior team is never simple. As leaders confront complexity, team dynamics naturally shift. High functioning leadership teams thrive by fostering inclusion and belonging — a result of the combined forces of psychological safety, courageous followership, and connectedness. The critical question for your organization: what mindsets and behaviors must your leaders embrace to cultivate a truly high performance culture?

To learn more about building high functioning leadership teams, download The Top Skills for High Performing Leaders