This week, our institute hosted another event as part of the WU Leadership Conversations – this time in cooperation with the B&C Private Foundation.

In focus: Initial results from our study on collaboration in Austrian executive teams.

With our guests Anette Klinger (family-run business) and Peter Bosek (publicly listed company), we discussed key success factors:

• Diversity in the leadership team should be leveraged purposefully and anchored in shared goals, values, and ambitions.

• A balance between clear allocation of responsibilities and roles, as well as necessary interdependencies, is the basis for effective collaboration.

• A balanced mix of regular formal meetings and sufficient informal exchange creates space for openness and reflection.

• Supervisory boards as enablers: Supervisory boards should specifically promote constructive collaboration within the executive board – by paying attention to professional and cultural fit when hiring new members, designing incentives and expectations, and maintaining a trusting dialogue with the executive board.

• CEO as "playing captain" – setting an example for a culture of openness and constructive collaboration within the executive team.

Many thanks to the B&C Group for the excellent cooperation, to our panelists for their fascinating insights, and to the audience for the interesting discussion!