Can You Put Parochial Interests Aside for the Greater Good?

"Can you put your personal agenda aside for the sake of others? While pursuing parochial interests are part of the human condition, it has a negative impact on others. Certainly, all leaders have the responsibility to set direction in "their" part of the company and its operations. But problems arise when priorities are not mutually shared by every member of the leadership team."

"How to Get Started With This Behavior Shift If you're a senior-level leader, make it your business to understand the needs of the departments and teams that report to you. Make certain that your direct reports understand the needs of the departments they serve and put a plan in place to provide better support to those departments and teams. For example, a product development VP that I worked with pressed her team for ideas on how to better support the and Customer Success departments."

Parochial, personal agendas create hidden friction that harms both company and individual performance. Leaders must set direction for their areas but ensure priorities are mutually shared across the leadership team. Renewing a leadership commitment to the company's welfare requires sometimes subordinating near-term departmental needs to broader organizational goals. Senior leaders should understand the needs of departments and ensure direct reports do the same, then create plans to provide better cross‑departmental support. Practical steps include identifying collaboration gaps, taking ownership rather than blaming, scheduling regular joint reviews, improving status updates, and aligning delivery schedules to accelerate product launches and organizational outcomes.

Read at Psychology Today