Why Leadership Alignment is Critical for Boards and Executive Teams
When leadership teams aren’t aligned, everyone feels it.
Without alignment, boards drift into:
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Infighting between directors.
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Mixed messages filtering down to staff.
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Blame and politics instead of clarity and accountability.
KPIs and strategies won’t save you if your leadership team is fractured. Alignment is the foundation of execution. When leaders share the same values, direction, and trust, culture strengthens. When they don’t, performance suffers – no matter how talented the individuals are.
Here’s Coaching 360’s Kevin Riley on a real life anonymised case study of the challenges he faces when acting as a Board Facilitator and how he enabled the organisation to address them.
Real Case Study: Board Facilitation to Resolve Conflict
A board of three directors approached Kevin Riley and Coaching 360 because the atmosphere in their business had become toxic.
On paper, results still looked fine. But beneath the surface:
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Staff were unhappy and disengaged.
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Directors were clashing, with rumours spreading.
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Trust between leadership and teams was collapsing.
At the centre of it was one individual in middle management.
To some, they looked like a high performer. To others, they were undermining trust and values. It was classic mushroom management: feeding one group information, cutting off another, and using the chaos to elevate themselves.
The board needed clarity. And they needed it fast.
How the Red Chair Facilitation Method Works
To break the deadlock, we used a process called the Red Chair.
Here’s how it works:
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One person sits in the chair.
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Their peers take turns to share, openly:
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What they add to the team.
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What they detract.
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The leader always goes first. There’s no hiding.
It’s raw. It’s uncomfortable. But it strips away the politics and surfaces the truth.
Within minutes, the picture was clear. The person being protected by some and distrusted by others was the root of the toxicity. What had been whispered in corridors was now out in the open.
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Outcomes of Leadership Alignment Facilitation
Once the truth was exposed, the board could act.
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The toxic behaviour stopped being defended.
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The individual left the business.
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Alignment returned across the board.
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The culture lifted almost overnight.
With trust restored at leadership level, the wider business flourished. Staff re-engaged. The fighting stopped. Performance improved.
The turning point wasn’t a strategy document. It was a facilitated conversation that cut through politics and re-established alignment.
Why Boards and Leadership Teams Need Independent Facilitation
Leaders rarely see these issues clearly when they’re inside the system. By the time the cracks are visible, the damage is already spreading.
That’s why getting an expert specialist like Kevin Riley to enable board facilitation and leadership alignment sessions are so valuable:
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They provide a neutral space where honesty is possible.
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They surface hidden issues and behaviours.
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They create alignment on values, not just strategy.
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They rebuild trust so the leadership team can lead with confidence.
Facilitation isn’t about smoothing things over or making people feel better. It’s about creating clarity, alignment, and accountability at the very top.
Leadership Facilitation Discovery Call
How to Fix a Toxic Leadership Culture
When leadership culture turns toxic, it’s tempting to focus on surface fixes: new KPIs, reshuffled roles, tighter reporting. None of those work if the root issue is values misalignment.
Here’s where to start:
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Check for alignment at board level. Are the leaders living the same values, or working against each other?
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Create space for honesty. Without structured facilitation, politics and fear silence the truth.
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Expose toxic behaviours. Not to shame, but to make clear what’s being added — and what’s being detracted.
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Act decisively. Once misalignment is visible, leadership teams must take responsibility and address it.
Toxic culture thrives in the dark. Shine a light on it, and you give your organisation the chance to reset.
Key Takeaway: Values Drive Alignment, Not Metrics
Boards don’t break because of strategy. They break because of values.
Mushroom management is a symptom of misaligned leadership. Facilitation is the tool that exposes it and gives boards the clarity to act.
If your leadership team feels fractured, don’t just chase performance numbers. Start with alignment and values. That’s where sustainable leadership begins.
What is Mushroom Management in Business?
Mushroom management is the kind of leadership no board wants to admit exists in their organisation. It’s when people are:
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Kept in the dark.
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Fed misinformation, gossip, or half-truths.
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Left to make sense of confusion while someone else makes themselves look good.
It’s toxic. It damages trust. And it eats away at culture from the inside out.
Begin the Leadership Alignment Process
FAQ
What is mushroom management in business?
Mushroom management is when employees or teams are kept in the dark, fed misinformation, and left without clarity. It often happens when one individual makes themselves look good by undermining others.
What is leadership alignment?
Leadership alignment is when a board or executive team shares the same values, direction, and trust. Misalignment leads to conflict, poor culture, and reduced performance.
What is board facilitation?
Board facilitation is a structured process led by an independent facilitator to improve alignment, resolve conflict, and strengthen leadership team performance.
What is the Red Chair method?
The Red Chair is a facilitation exercise where each leader sits in the chair while peers share openly what they add and what they detract from the team. It surfaces hidden issues quickly.
How do you fix a toxic leadership culture?
Toxic culture is fixed by aligning leadership on values, creating open conversations, exposing destructive behaviours, and holding leaders accountable. Independent facilitation often accelerates this process.
Who would be a good choice to consider for Leadership Facilitation and Board Alignment?
Kevin Riley is an expert Facilitator well-versed in leadership Alignment. Kevin is Scaling Up certified business coach well used to guiding businesses through various stages of growth and expansion.
