The value of team belonging in leadership teams

Telos Partners' consultant Kamylla Caponi

When Kamylla Caponi delivers her presentation on how to strengthen belonging in leadership teams at a top coaching psychology conference in Birmingham this month, she’ll be discussing a subject that’s close to her heart.

Yet she’ll also be sharing practical insights that she and our wider team draw on to support Telos Partners’ clients today.

This is because exploring the way in which trust, clarity of purpose and shared vulnerability contribute to enhanced team cohesion – and the value that creates – is fundamental to the work we do.

‘The value of belonging in leadership teams is sometimes underestimated,’ Kamylla explains.

‘We often focus on strategy, structure and capability – all of which are important – but without a genuine sense of connection and shared identity, those elements don’t fully translate into impact.

‘Yet when leadership teams invest time in building trust, clarifying their purpose and engaging more openly with one another, it creates a foundation that enables everything else to work more effectively.’

Sharing a sense of purpose and trust

'Leadership teams only begin to operate at their full potential when there is a strong sense of shared purpose, underpinned by trust'

Kamylla’s own interest in team belonging is shaped by her background in business and coaching psychology and first-hand experience of working in global corporate settings – first in South America, then in the UK and in Europe.

‘Across different cultural contexts and industries, I’ve consistently seen that leadership teams only begin to operate at their full potential when there is a strong sense of shared purpose, underpinned by trust,’ she reveals.

‘What has been especially striking is the role of vulnerability – when leaders are willing to move beyond purely performative or positional interactions and engage more openly, the quality of dialogue shifts significantly.

‘That’s often where alignment and real cohesion begin.’

Supporting leadership teams through change

This is something Telos Partners sees with many of the senior leaders, boards and organisations we support. 

‘In our work with clients, we are always supporting leadership teams at key transition points – whether forming, evolving or scaling,’ Kamylla says.

‘In those moments, clarity of purpose and trust-building aren’t ‘nice to have’; they are critical.

‘When teams engage in guided reflection and are supported to surface assumptions, reframe thinking and have more honest conversations, we see a tangible shift in how they collaborate, make decisions and show up for one another.

‘Belonging becomes a lived experience rather than an abstract concept.’

Introducing vulnerability in a purposeful way

'Many senior leaders recognise... that openness and authenticity matter. However translating that into behaviour is another step'

So does Kamylla think that today’s generation of senior leaders – and those coming through succession pipelines – understand the role of ‘shared vulnerability’ in team cohesion and are open to showing it themselves?

‘There is a growing awareness of the importance of shared vulnerability, but the reality in practice is still mixed,’ Kamylla replies.

‘Many senior leaders recognise – intellectually – that openness and authenticity matter. However, translating that into behaviour is another step.

‘There can still be perceived risks around status, credibility or cultural expectations, particularly in more traditional environments.’

However, she and the Telos Partners team are encouraged to see that when vulnerability is introduced in a purposeful way, rather than as an abstract idea, leaders are far more open to it.

‘When it’s connected to team effectiveness, decision quality and performance, it becomes both accessible and legitimate,’ Kamylla says. ‘So, in practice, it’s less about whether leaders are ‘willing’ and more about how safely and skilfully that space is created.’

Building the capability to adapt and grow over time

This is where our team’s expertise in business and psychology comes in.

The collaborative environment we facilitate allows our clients’ team members to feel safe and articulate their perceptions. This environment also makes individuals more open to developing their problem-solving skills and navigating complex situations more effectively.

‘We draw on evidence-based models alongside thinking skills to identify and address cognitive distortions, and appropriate psychometrics to deepen insight,’ Kamylla explains.

‘These approaches help teams slow down their thinking, challenge unhelpful patterns and experiment with more effective ways of working together.

‘We support leaders to clarify their long-term ambitions and put in place mechanisms not only to achieve success, but to sustain it over time.

‘For clients, this often leads to changes that are both impactful and enduring, because they build the internal capability to reflect, adapt and grow beyond the intervention itself.’

Strengthening belonging in leadership teams – next steps

'[Coaching psychology can help] leadership teams not only [to] perform but [to] truly connect, align and sustain their effectiveness over time'

‘At its core, coaching psychology is about applying evidence-based psychological principles to support people to understand how they think, how that shapes their behaviour and relationships, and how they can make more intentional choices,’ Kamylla concludes.

‘And that’s where it can make a meaningful contribution – helping leadership teams not only perform but truly connect, align and sustain their effectiveness over time.’

Want to explore how Telos Partners can help your organisation to strengthen team belonging in your leadership team?

Discover the support we offer here and get in touch to speak with our experienced team.

Note: Kamylla will be sharing her insight on ‘Team belonging in leadership: a Coaching Psychology approach’ at the British Psychological Society’s annual Division of Coaching Psychology Conference in Birmingham on 18 June. Read more about the conference here.