We often tend to think that improving a company’s—or an organization’s—operational performance means identifying the root causes of underperformance and launching action plans. This approach, while widespread, takes a lot of time and energy. Yet the results on performance metrics are often disappointing. There are improvements, yes, but rarely any significant change.
So why doesn’t it work as expected?
The answer lies partly in an idea that is too often overlooked: when we talk about operational performance, two essential elements are often left aside: the organization’s performance and that of its Executive Committee (Comité de Direction). In this article, I want to focus on a fundamental but often ignored topic: the Executive Committee’s performance, which is nevertheless crucial for the entire company.
Executive Committee performance: why is it so important?
A company’s performance is closely tied to that of its Executive Committee. Yet many leaders miss this reality.
But what does Executive Committee performance actually mean in practice? You can look at the organization’s or company’s financial and operational KPIs, on which the Executive Committee’s performance has indirect effects—but you can also look at much simpler elements such as:
- How quickly decisions are made within the organization.
- How fast critical information is communicated to teams so they can move forward.
- The limited number of meetings needed to align stakeholders.
- The quality of meetings, rated 4 or 5/5 using tools such as ROTI(*) (Return On Time Invested).
- And finally, if you ask an employee by the coffee machine, you should sense genuine engagement and motivation. Above all, they should be able to connect their day-to-day work and objectives to the organization’s broader challenges.
These elements, while simple, have a considerable impact on the company’s operational performance.
But why don’t Executive Committees systematically work on their own performance?
Despite the obvious importance of Executive Committee performance, why don’t leaders always take the time to work on how they operate?
One possible answer lies in leaders’ reluctance to look at their own team performance. It requires stepping back, assessing their impact on the organization, adopting new ways of showing up, and working on topics that may seem non-priorities. This process takes time, personal investment, and above all a willingness to change—not only for themselves but for the whole team.
Change, yes—but it has to be fast and happen to others!
How can you make an Executive Committee more effective?
The first step for an Executive Committee that wants to improve its performance is to recognize that this work needs to be done and to accept dedicating time to it. A question I like to ask the executive teams I support is: “What kind of team do you want to be? A steering committee or an executive team?”
This distinction is fundamental. In the first case, members sit as representatives of their respective teams, each reporting information from their silo. In the second case, they see themselves as a full executive team, aware of the organization’s overall challenges. Moving from “I report from my silo” to “I lead from the Executive Committee” is a radical shift in posture.
Another key indicator is how Executive Committee members talk about their team. When a leader starts saying “my team” to refer to the Executive Committee rather than their own department, it’s a sign the dynamic has changed. It means they have moved beyond silos—a classic source of underperformance—and become a truly unified team aligned around shared challenges. This is stage 3 of the high-performing team described by V. Lenhardt (**).
The Executive Committee’s posture: a key lever for performance
The Executive Committee’s posture is complex and requires tailored support, adapted to the culture, the challenges, and the people who make up the team.
But it works! I’ve had the opportunity to experience this transformation both as a member of an executive committee for several years and as a coach supporting the performance of many Executive Committees.
One of the keys to success: a leader and team who are motivated and mobilized around a coach who listens, can challenge the status quo, and involves the team in building its own action plan.
It often starts by clarifying the team’s identity: what are its values, its purpose? What is its ambition? Its missions? How does this team fit within the organization?
Beyond that, it requires working on the quality of relationships within the group, cohesion, and each person’s place in the team. Each member must have a known and recognized place, which strengthens the group’s solidity and its ability to act together.
Strong foundations for a high-performing organization
By strengthening an Executive Committee’s performance, you lay the foundations for a higher-performing organization. Executive Committee members are more aligned, more effective in their decisions, and their impact is quickly felt across operations. It is deep work, certainly, but its results are lasting and profoundly beneficial.
Investing in an Executive Committee’s performance is investing in the organization’s future.
And you—have you ever reflected on your Executive Committee’s performance? How could you start transforming your team to boost your company’s overall performance?
(*) ROTI: Return on time invested – from Agile software methods. ROTI is used to quickly measure the effectiveness of a meeting or workshop by asking participants to rate, on a scale of 1 to 5, whether they feel the time they invested was worthwhile in terms of the results achieved.
(*)(*) V. Lenhardt: a French coach, consultant, trainer, and author recognized as one of the pioneering figures in coaching in France and Europe. He notably introduced the concept of team development in three stages: collection of individuals, cohesive team, high-performing team.
