Is Your Leadership Team Truly High-Functioning?

In today’s complex and rapidly shifting business landscape, even the most seasoned senior teams are facing unprecedented demands. RHR’s new white paper, Is Your Senior Leadership Team Truly High-Functioning?, provides a data-driven blueprint for how top teams achieve and sustain elite performance.

Based on insights from more than 3,200 leaders, team members, and direct reports across 121 senior teams in 19 industries, the study uncovers what truly differentiates high-functioning teams from the rest. Although enduring fundamentals like shared purpose, trust, and transparency remain essential, the research shows agility, innovation, and accountability have become defining characteristics of success.

The data tells a compelling story: Top teams are 447% better at driving innovation and 592% stronger in advocating for talent than their peers. They actively manage conflict, give and receive feedback regularly, and hold one another accountable to shared norms—all while maintaining focus on strategic priorities.

Yet even top leaders have watch-outs. Many overestimate how open their teams are to challenging ideas or assume clarity in decision-making where confusion exists. Leaders also tend to believe they are investing more in team development than their teams perceive. These misalignments can quietly undermine trust and performance at the highest levels.

The white paper offers a clear roadmap for leaders seeking to elevate their team’s effectiveness and strategic impact. Whether driving transformation, merging cultures, or fostering innovation, the ability to build and sustain a high-functioning senior team is now a core leadership imperative.