No executive can operate in isolation. No single leader can secure success for their business alone. Building a high-performing executive team is essential – but how do you ensure you’re getting both the support and the exceptional performance you need from it?
Strong relationships build better conversations
At the heart of it all are strong, honest, and effective relationships built on trust.
Think about the colleagues you know best – the ones you can be candid with, debate openly, and disagree with without tension. Conversations with them go deeper, move faster, and lead to better ideas and sounder decisions. Trust creates the conditions for real dialogue – and that’s where progress starts.
For any executive, especially when stepping into a new role or shaping a fresh team, building these relationships should be high on the agenda. It requires a range of leadership skills, but three stand out: self-awareness, deep listening, and doing what you say you’ll do.
Self-awareness
The starting point is knowing yourself – your strengths, your limits, and where you need support. No leader is expert in everything, and the confidence to admit that earns respect.
Self-awareness also means recognising your own emotions and understanding how they affect others. Under pressure, leaders who can manage their reactions, show empathy, and read the room set a tone of composure and trust. Adapting your approach to each individual – based on their experience, style, and strengths – helps them feel safe to speak up and contribute fully.
Deep listening
Listening sounds simple, yet can be a hard skill to master. In the rush of meetings and deadlines, real listening often slips. Being fully present means quieting your own thoughts and resisting the urge to jump in with answers. Genuine attention makes others feel valued; paraphrasing or summarising what you’ve heard shows understanding. Asking open questions turns a routine exchange into a conversation that matters.
Delivering on your commitments
Nothing builds trust faster than doing what you said you would do. Avoid making promises you can’t keep and be upfront when something isn’t possible. Holding yourself accountable and following through consistently sends a clear message: reliability is non-negotiable.
From relationships to results
Other leadership qualities – patience, collaboration, inclusivity, compassion, and the ability to resolve conflict – also strengthen relationships. Ultimately, a leader’s success depends on their ability to create an environment where people trust one another and work together.
That’s the multiplier effect of leadership.
Encourage your team to rely on each other, to surface challenges early, and to solve problems together. When trust runs deep, conversations are braver, decisions are better, and performance follows.
Great relationships make work more enjoyable, and the business stronger.