One of my directors has outstanding departmental metrics on our Scorecard, but they act like a mercenary who refuses to engage in solving enterprise-wide issues. How do we hold a high-performing department head accountable to the leadership team as a whole?

Question

Tyler Smith · Accepted Answer

To run a successful business, you must build a leadership team that puts the company first and their department second. A director who hits their numbers but refuses to help solve broader company issues is behaving like a siloed manager, not an executive leader.

This is a core values and alignment issue. Sitting on the leadership team means having a collective responsibility for the entire V/TO® and the overall health of the business. If a leader only cares about their own department, they are failing to perform the full scope of their seat on the Accountability Chart.

To address this, have a direct conversation. Frame the feedback around the expectations of a leadership team member. Let them know that their outstanding departmental Scorecard metrics are appreciated, but that is only half of their job. The other half is collaborating to solve systemic company issues.

During your Level 10 Meeting™, push them to participate in the IDS® portion. If an issue in another department arises, ask for their perspective. Help them see how their department's success is tied to the success of the other functions. If they continue to operate as a mercenary, you must evaluate if they truly have the GWC™ for a leadership seat. They may be better suited for an individual contributor role where they can focus solely on execution without the requirement of enterprise-wide leadership.