Who is on your first team?

If I said to you, "tell me about your team", you likely would report about those who are your direct reports. This is not only natural, it's the way we orient ourselves to get our work done. The principle of “Team Number 1”, introduced by Patrick Lencioni, asks you to consider your first team as the person you report to and your peers.

This week on the show, Howard Teibel introduces the first team model through the lens of higher education. Although work is performed within our organizational units, the missing piece is being on the same page with our peers that run other areas within our group. Navigating the "First Team" requires integrating a conversation about what our division wants to accomplish, not just what I want to do with my own team — moving from an I focus to a We focus.

How do your deans collaborate across academic functions? How can your senior leadership team adapt to this first-team principle? This week, we offer a conversation intended to provoke your exploration of these questions. Listen to this with your direct reports and open a discussion about this important topic!

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