Great executive teams don’t happen by accident. They’re built on intentional practices that foster trust, adaptability, and alignment. But what exactly makes an executive team unstoppable? Is it their ability to adapt quickly, resolve conflicts constructively, or rally around a shared vision?

We’ve compiled insights from 20 top executives across diverse industries, sharing what they believe is the one trait that makes their leadership teams thrive. Whether you’re scaling a startup or leading a mature organization, these perspectives offer actionable strategies to build trust among leadership and create a foundation for long-term success.

20 Proven Traits for Leadership Success

1. Build Trust Through 1-on-1 Conversations

Open 1 on 1 communication between executives outside of executive team meetings. Without this, I’ve seen executive team meetings become ambushes of one or more executives with issues and disagreements that seem to come out of nowhere and which the ambushed are not prepared to discuss productively. These ambushes break down trust, create unproductive team meetings, and I’ve seen executive teams completely disintegrate as a result. On the other hand, when these issues or disagreements are raised in 1 on 1 interactions, the executives can talk through their positions rationally. understand where each other are coming from, and can give each other a heads up that they will be raised in the next executive meeting. Then that executive meeting becomes productive. The involved parties can bring data that supports their position and a rational, fully-formed discussion can occur. And regardless of the outcome, trust and respect is created between the two executives involved which strengthens their ability to work together productively even if they are not always on the same side of an issue.

Richard Guth, Chief Marketing Officer, Table Needs

2. Adapt Quickly and Align Efforts

In my experience, the one trait that makes an executive team unstoppable is adaptability. The tech world moves fast, and what worked yesterday might not work tomorrow. Having a team that can adjust to changes, whether it’s market shifts or internal challenges, is key. It’s not just about being flexible but also about being proactive while anticipating changes.

Our team’s ability to adapt quickly and align our efforts allowed us to keep growing without missing a beat. A team that embraces change doesn’t just survive; it thrives.

Justin Smith, CEO, Contractor+

3. Accountability  

Accountability is the first thing that comes to mind for me. Every member of an executive team has a role and they need to be held accountable. Holding each other accountable, in addition to holding oneself accountable, makes for an unstoppable team. 

Casey Bolsega, Sr. Portfolio Manager, Intrepid

4. Cohesion and Alignment

The exceptional quality which, in my view, makes an executive team unassailable is cohesion or alignment. When the members of the leadership matrix share the same values, mission, or strategy, decisions are quicker, messages are clearer, and the organization acts with a unified purpose. We do this by revisiting our goals on a regular basis and explaining how every single decision made fits in well with those goals.

Cohesion does not imply that all the people are in agreement all the time; it implies that all the leaders appreciate a common purpose and are prepared to work towards it. This alignment enables the organization to maintain strategic focus towards a common objective throughout implementation phases and stay on course in the face of adversity. The overall effect? An integrated team that is able to be flexible and overcome any challenges.

Cache Merrill, Founder, Zibtek

5. Trust

One key trait that makes an executive team unstoppable is trust. When team members genuinely trust each other, it fosters open communication and collaboration. They can challenge ideas, share feedback, and innovate without fear. Trust builds a strong foundation for decision-making and empowers everyone to work towards a common vision.

Emily Finkelstein, CEO, Auction Experts

6. Commitment to Continuous Improvement

We believe the one trait that truly sets an executive team apart is a relentless commitment to continuous improvement. I’ve seen the profound impact this makes on a team’s success. Leaders who embrace an “endlessly improving” mindset bring a natural drive to learn, adapt, and evolve. They aren’t just about holding titles; they actively seek new skills, insights, and strategies to help their teams thrive. When you work alongside leaders who pursue growth not only for themselves but for the entire team, you see a workplace that’s vibrant, engaged, and forward-focused.

Konrad Martin, CEO, Tech Advisors

7. Profit & Loss Fluency and First-Team Thinking

I recently attended the Pavilion Women’s Summit and one of the brilliant speakers, Cassie Young, a General Partner at Primary Venture Partners, noted that executive success hinges on two factors: P&L Fluency & First team thinking. She said the combination of these two things could save your job.

She discusses how executive success hinges on two critical capabilities that are often underdeveloped in 2/3 of the executives she meets and P&L fluency. She said the #1 reason more women VPs don’t get promoted to the C-Suite is that they can’t walk their way through an income statement. That’s pretty powerful! She also went on to talk more about first-team thinking. She shared that leaders fail to prioritize supporting fellow leaders over their direct reports. They celebrate vanity metrics regardless of broader business results, which can cause the demise of an executive team.

She urges leaders to move beyond the “swim lane trap” of purely functional thinking and embrace the mindset of “playing for the front of the jersey, not the back”—prioritizing organizational success over individual achievement. Cassie emphasized that these capabilities are fundamental to increasing women’s representation in executive leadership.

This is not the first time I have heard about the importance of First-Team Thinking. I have read and re-read Patrick Lencioni’s book Five Dysfunctions of a Team, in which he discusses the five main problems of teams: Absence of Trust, Fear of Conflict, Lack of Commitment, Avoidance of Accountability, and Inattention to Results. First Team Thinking” refers to prioritizing the collective success of a team over individual or departmental goals, meaning leaders put their own team’s needs above their direct reports, fostering a more collaborative and unified approach across the organization (very similar definition to Cassie Young). Where these two concepts come together in order to build an unstoppable executive team, addressing the “Five Dysfunctions” is crucial, while adopting a “First Team Thinking” mindset encourages leaders to prioritize the collective success of the organization over individual gains. 

Rachel Johnson, Fractional Marketing Executive and Growth Scaler

8. Stay Adaptable 

It’s adaptability, especially in a fast-paced industry like tech, where change happens quickly, and the ability to pivot or adjust our approach ensures we stay competitive. It’s about being open to new ideas, remaining flexible when challenges arise, and keeping an eye on trends and shifts that might impact our path forward. When each team member is committed to evolving alongside the industry, we can collectively make the right decisions, even under pressure.

Beyond adapting to external changes, an adaptable team fosters a culture where learning and growth are continuous. This shared mindset encourages innovation and makes us better equipped to face any unexpected challenges. It keeps everyone engaged and motivated, knowing they’re part of a team that embraces progress and improvement. In my experience, an executive team with a strong adaptability trait is empowered to tackle challenges head-on and turn potential obstacles into opportunities.

Christian Espinosa, Founder and CEO, Blue Goat Cyber

9. Embrace Generative Tension  

Our executive team thrives on what we call ‘generative tension’ – a dynamic where intense debates and constructive conflicts drive innovation, always grounded in mutual respect. While meetings can feel like a chemistry experiment with potent ingredients colliding, this friction sparks breakthroughs in a collaborative spirit. We’ve found this delicate balance of challenge and support consistently delivers results. There’s a great article in HBR’s July 2024 issue on Genius Teams if you want to dig in. 

Meghan Paden, COO, Preventia

10. Maintain a Positive Mindset

As a leader, I’ve realized that having a positive mindset is key. It’s not just about being optimistic; it’s about seeing every problem as a chance to learn something new and do something awesome. My team and I don’t just hope things will get better; we work hard to make them better, turning our ideas into something real. This way of thinking spreads to everyone, so when we mess up or things get tough, we don’t stay down. We get back up, learn from it, and try again with a better plan. This attitude is super-important in the tech world, where things change all the time. 

I also make sure to give my team the confidence they need. When people know they’re trusted, they’re more likely to think of creative solutions and work harder. We always aim to make our customers not just satisfied, but really impressed. Having a positive mindset isn’t just about staying happy; it’s like having a superpower that keeps our team pushing forward, no matter what challenges we face.

Henry Timmes, CEO, Campaign Cleaner

11. Honestly and Open Dialogue 

I think it’s “rational dialogue” and “radical candor” — If your executive is fully honest with each other, and shares diverse opinions from their various experience and vantage points, a force to be reckoned with, for sure!

Steven Plappert, Co-Founder & CEO, Forecastr

12. Focus on Long-Term Goals

One trait that makes an executive team unstoppable is the ability to focus on long-term goals without succumbing to the pressure of short-term demands. We’ve chosen a VC-free path, which has allowed us to prioritize building a sustainable and resilient company. This decision means we don’t chase rapid exits but rather invest in developing a product that genuinely addresses developers’ needs.

Embracing adversity is another crucial trait. It involves navigating the ups and downs with a steady hand and turning challenges into growth opportunities. For example, when Techstars turned us down, it was a pivotal moment that led us to re-evaluate the VC-funded landscape and develop a clearer long-term strategy for us. This focus on resilience continues to guide our strategic decisions.

Lastly, the commitment to customer-centric innovation has been fundamental. We’ve always aimed to solve real-world problems for developers, evident in the millions of downloads of our community edition. By empowering developers with simple yet powerful tools, our team remains dedicated to pushing the boundaries and advancing with the market’s evolution.

Brian Pontarelli, CEO, FusionAuth

13. Share Credit in Wins and Losses

Having each other’s backs. Growing and leading an organization is challenging and rewarding. Knowing that your team is invested in each others’ success – from sharing credit for wins to learning from losses – is critical. Knowing that you can trust your colleagues to have the best interest of the team and the organization at heart frees up cognitive overhead from politics to invest in the growth of the business and the people inside of it.

Karen Mangia, President & Chief Strategy Officer, The Engineered Innovation Group

14. Empathy

As a technology head at my company with over 7 years of experience, I believe that visionary empathy is the secret sauce that makes executive teams unbeatable. This powerful trait combines foresight with a deep understanding of human dynamics. It’s about seeing the future while truly getting your people. When leaders blend innovation with genuine care, magic happens. Visionary empathy isn’t just a buzzword—it’s a game-changing approach that drives results.

Sharat Potharaju, Co-founder & CEO, Uniqode

15. Respectful Disagreement  

Respectful disagreement. I was going to say “communication” but this is a very important aspect of it, especially as it applies to decision-making. I have two other co-founders and we serve as the executive leadership team. Thank goodness we don’t agree on everything. After 8 years, we have learned to discuss/debate, get behind a decision and move on. It rarely escalates to arguing anymore and we’re all better for it.

Rick McGlinchey, Co-Founder, PureInsights

16. Focus Relentlessly on End-User Experience

In my experience, the one trait that makes an executive team unstoppable is a relentless focus on the end-user experience. We built our entire platform with the gig contractor in mind, which meant reimagining payroll from their perspective. This focus led to significant improvements in payment speed and flexibility, creating a product that clients describe as a “real partner.”

When I was with Kairos, the emphasis was on facial-recognition technology that was seamless and user-friendly. The success of both ventures shows that when an executive team prioritizes understanding and solving real customer problems, it aligns the company’s efforts and creates unstoppable momentum. Moreover, this focus cultivates a culture that is deeply embedded in innovation, driving sustained growth and satisfaction for all stakeholders.

Craig Lewis, Founder & CEO, Gig Wage

17. Share a Unified Vision

As a health-tech leader with over ten years of industry experience, I’ve worked with the best executive team. Reflecting on my experience, I can vouch for one trait that can make an executive team unstoppable: having a shared vision. Every employee must understand this vision and invest in this goal. It will help in building a foundation of purpose, which helps in decision-making and action.

I feel this shared vision also fosters trust in team members and enhances communication. Having a strong foundation ensures that every team member is equally invested in using their expertise to achieve the common goal.

I believe this trait is extremely crucial and empowers the executive team, keeping them focused on the ultimate goals even if there are multiple changes. Working cohesively like this, the executive team can easily overcome challenges, innovate, and gain the motivation to work towards the organization’s success.

John Russo, VP of Healthcare Solutions, OSP Labs

18. Grit

One trait that makes an executive team unstoppable is grit—the ability to bounce back from setbacks, adapt quickly, and keep pushing forward. This resilience helps teams tackle challenges head-on and stay focused on long-term goals, even when faced with unexpected obstacles.

Patric Edwards, Founder & Principal Software Architect, Cirrus Bridge

19. Problem-Solving Skills

The most important trait, in my opinion, is problem-solving skills.

When you are in an executive position, whether in a startup or an enterprise company, basically the whole job is “problem-solving.” There are always problems, and you can’t solve all of them. The job (to me) is to pick the highest-impact problems to solve, and you tackle them.

Some executives tend to think their job is more about managing or simply being in charge. But really, if you want to be unstoppable, you have to identify and solve the company’s problems in a relentless manner.

Tristyn Leos, Founder/Engineer, TristynTech

20. Trust

If I had to pick one trait that makes an executive team truly unstoppable, it’s trust. When a leadership team operates with a high level of trust, it unlocks a level of collaboration and efficiency that’s hard to match. There’s less infighting, less politics, and less time wasted on guarding resources or second-guessing each other. Everyone can focus on the shared goals and move forward with confidence.

But trust doesn’t just happen overnight. It takes time and consistent effort to build. It requires open communication, transparency, and a willingness to be vulnerable with each other. It also means giving people the autonomy to do their jobs and holding them accountable for results.

And when trust is broken—which inevitably happens—it’s crucial to address it directly. CEOs need to step up and facilitate open and honest conversations to rebuild that trust. An unstoppable executive team is built on a foundation of trust, and it’s something that needs to be nurtured and protected.

JJ Maxwell, CEO, Double Finance

Transform your leadership team

Whether you’re a tech founder or an enterprise leader, investing in these traits can transform your leadership team into a powerhouse of collaboration and innovation.

What resonates most with your leadership style? Share your thoughts in the comments—we’d love to hear how you’re building trust and driving success in your executive team.