On on hand, a senior leader is often responsible for a functional unit or team within an organization. On the other hand, they are asked to be on a team with other leaders – usually headed by a Director, VP, or CEO.
It is an interesting duality because being on two teams often leads to a push-pull dynamic where team members (on the senior leadership team) compete with each other instead of collaborate. This often leads to the costly and destructive silos we see in organizations as people hoard resources and protect their turf.
To overcome this competition, the senior leadership team needs to be equally important as the teams that members of the senior leadership team manage.