---
title: What’s The First Step to Turnaround Success? Building the Team That Leads It.
description: Discover why forming a strong turnaround steering team is the critical first step to success. Learn how cross-functional leadership drives alignment, accountability, and results in complex, capital-intensive transformations.
image: https://insights.alula.clg.com/hubfs/Turnaround%20%231%20-%20Steering%20team.png
---

[![](https://insights.alula.clg.com/hubfs/images/logos/alula-clg-logo-1.svg)](https://alula.clg.com/)

- [Home](https://alula.clg.com/)
- Solutions 
    - [Change](https://alula.clg.com/solutions/change-management)
    - [Leadership](https://alula.clg.com/solutions/leadership)
    - [Performance](https://alula.clg.com/solutions/performance)
- About 
    - [Company](https://alula.clg.com/about/company)
    - [Team](https://alula.clg.com/about/team)
- [Insights](https://insights.alula.clg.com/blog) 
    - [Blog](https://insights.alula.clg.com/blog)
    - [Resources](https://alula.clg.com/insights/resources)
- [Careers](https://alula.clg.com/careers)
- [Contact](https://alula.clg.com/contact)
- Search
- [![](https://insights.alula.clg.com/hubfs/images/logos/alula-clg-logo-white.svg)](https://alula.clg.com/)
- [PH: 1.800.887.0011 (U.S. Toll-free)](tel:18008870011)
- [PH: 412.269.7240](tel:4122697240)
- [Directions](https://goo.gl/maps/gjzMJte7JKo)

# What’s The First Step to Turnaround Success? Building the Team That Leads It.

 October 2025 | By [Brian Cole, Ph.D.](https://insights.alula.clg.com/blog/author/brian-cole)

They weren't alone. The organization had invested millions in a major turnaround—only to watch progress stall as departments pulled in different directions. The strategy was sound. The execution? Fragmented.

**Turnarounds are among the most complex, challenging, and expensive undertakings—especially in capital-intensive industries.** They demand more than technical expertise or detailed planning. They require deep collaboration from operations and maintenance to engineering, finance, and beyond.

Many organizations have formal processes for managing turnarounds, but when senior leaders and functional teams aren’t aligned, even the most well-funded efforts fall short of their operational, financial, and safety goals. In our experience, forming a turnaround steering team isn’t just a tactical move—it’s a strategic one. It’s the moment where vision becomes direction, where momentum builds, and where accountability takes root.

 

![Turnaround #1 - Steering team (1)](https://insights.alula.clg.com/hs-fs/hubfs/Turnaround%20%231%20-%20Steering%20team%20(1).png?width=1920&height=1080&name=Turnaround%20%231%20-%20Steering%20team%20(1).png)

### **Why steering teams matter more than ever**

Economic uncertainty, shifting customer expectations, and rapid technological change are reshaping how organizations operate. The ability to align quickly, make data-informed decisions, and lead with clarity is now a competitive advantage.

A steering team isn’t just a formality—it’s your leadership engine. It ensures that strategic initiatives are not only well-planned but also well-led.

 

*In one global organization, forming a cross-functional steering team reduced turnaround delays by 40% and improved resource utilization across departments.*

### **What makes a turnaround steering team effective?**

 

Here’s what sets high-impact teams apart:

**1. Get the right people in the room—consistently**

Bring together leaders from across functions—operations, maintenance, finance, IT, and more. These aren’t just stakeholders; they’re decision-makers. And they need to meet regularly to stay ahead of challenges and opportunities.

**2. Set a clear charter for the steering team**

A strong charter defines more than roles and responsibilities. It sets the tone for how the team will lead—what decisions they own, what outcomes they’re driving, and how they’ll measure success.

**3. Align on the what and the how**

Misalignment at the top is still the number one barrier to successful execution. Your steering team must be crystal clear on:

- The what: Goals, priorities, and performance targets
- The how: Strategies, initiatives, and who’s accountable for what

### **What should a great steering team deliver?**

 

✅ **Clear ownership**

Who owns the turnaround? It’s a simple question that too often goes unanswered. Whether it’s operations, maintenance, or project teams, clarity on ownership is foundational. Without it, scope creep, resource misalignment, and missed deadlines are almost guaranteed.

✅ **Organizational alignment**

Alignment doesn’t stop at the steering team. The real power comes when the entire organization is rowing in the same direction. That means:

- Leaders model the right behaviors
- Metrics that connect actions to outcomes
- Employees understand how their role fits into the bigger picture

✅ **Strategic conversations**

The best steering teams don’t just manage the now—they plan for what’s next. That means:

- Looking three to ten years ahead
- Using real-time data to guide decisions
- Balancing short-term execution with long-term capability building

### **The leadership behaviors that drive results**

In our work, we’ve identified five core behaviors that consistently predict turnaround success:

1. Align expectations
2. Monitor performance
3. Give timely feedback
4. Coach for improvement
5. Remove barriers

These aren’t just “nice to haves.” They’re the daily disciplines that separate high-performing teams from the rest.

### **Bottom line**

In a business climate where agility, accountability, and alignment are non-negotiable, your steering team can be your competitive edge. It’s not about more meetings—it’s about better leadership. The kind that aligns, empowers, and delivers.

**Ready to build a steering team that leads with clarity and impact?**  
[Let’s talk](https://alula.clg.com/contact) about how ALULA can help you align leadership and accelerate results.

 

***Next in our turnaround series:**** [Reducing Late Scope in Turnarounds: Five Leadership Moves That Work](https://insights.alula.clg.com/blog/reducing-late-scope-in-turnarounds-five-leadership-moves-that-work)*

![Brian Cole, Ph.D.](https://insights.alula.clg.com/hs-fs/hubfs/blog_2024hsALULA_Cole-Brian_1-1.jpg?width=100&name=blog_2024hsALULA_Cole-Brian_1-1.jpg)

### Written by [Brian Cole, Ph.D.](https://insights.alula.clg.com/blog/author/brian-cole)

<https://www.linkedin.com/in/brian-cole-799a8a12/>

 Posted in: [Behavior](https://insights.alula.clg.com/blog/topic/behavior), [Turnaround/Shutdown](https://insights.alula.clg.com/blog/topic/turnaround-shutdown), [Alignment](https://insights.alula.clg.com/blog/topic/alignment), [Performance Improvement](https://insights.alula.clg.com/blog/topic/performance-improvement)

### Conversation

### Subscribe to Email Updates

### Posts by Topic

- [Leadership (120)](https://insights.alula.clg.com/blog/topic/leadership)
- [Behavior (46)](https://insights.alula.clg.com/blog/topic/behavior)
- [Team Culture (30)](https://insights.alula.clg.com/blog/topic/team-culture)
- [Culture (26)](https://insights.alula.clg.com/blog/topic/culture)
- [Communicating with Teams (25)](https://insights.alula.clg.com/blog/topic/communicating-with-teams)
- [Leading Remote Teams (20)](https://insights.alula.clg.com/blog/topic/leading-remote-teams)
- [Managing Remotely (18)](https://insights.alula.clg.com/blog/topic/managing-remotely)
- [Pharmaceutical Sales (17)](https://insights.alula.clg.com/blog/topic/pharmaceutical-sales)
- [Change Management (16)](https://insights.alula.clg.com/blog/topic/change-management)
- [Operational Excellence (15)](https://insights.alula.clg.com/blog/topic/operational-excellence)
- [Working Remote (15)](https://insights.alula.clg.com/blog/topic/working-remote)
- [Change (12)](https://insights.alula.clg.com/blog/topic/change)
- [Trust (12)](https://insights.alula.clg.com/blog/topic/trust)
- [Team Building (11)](https://insights.alula.clg.com/blog/topic/team-building)
- [Work from Home (11)](https://insights.alula.clg.com/blog/topic/work-from-home)
- [Employee Experience (8)](https://insights.alula.clg.com/blog/topic/employee-experience)
- [Performance Improvement (8)](https://insights.alula.clg.com/blog/topic/performance-improvement)
- [Turnaround/Shutdown (8)](https://insights.alula.clg.com/blog/topic/turnaround-shutdown)
- [Coaching (7)](https://insights.alula.clg.com/blog/topic/coaching)
- [Hybrid Work Environment (7)](https://insights.alula.clg.com/blog/topic/hybrid-work-environment)
- [Senior Leadership (7)](https://insights.alula.clg.com/blog/topic/senior-leadership)
- [Digital Transformation (6)](https://insights.alula.clg.com/blog/topic/digital-transformation)
- [Multigenerational Workforce (6)](https://insights.alula.clg.com/blog/topic/multigenerational-workforce)
- [Organizational Transformation (6)](https://insights.alula.clg.com/blog/topic/organizational-transformation)
- [Return To Office (RTO) (6)](https://insights.alula.clg.com/blog/topic/return-to-office-rto)
- [Alignment (5)](https://insights.alula.clg.com/blog/topic/alignment)
- [Leader-Led Change (5)](https://insights.alula.clg.com/blog/topic/leader-led-change)
- [Strategy Execution (5)](https://insights.alula.clg.com/blog/topic/strategy-execution)
- [Transformation (5)](https://insights.alula.clg.com/blog/topic/transformation)
- [Leadership Development (4)](https://insights.alula.clg.com/blog/topic/leadership-development)
- [Women in the workplace (4)](https://insights.alula.clg.com/blog/topic/women-in-the-workplace)
- [Workplace Health (4)](https://insights.alula.clg.com/blog/topic/workplace-health)
- [Case Study (3)](https://insights.alula.clg.com/blog/topic/case-study)
- [Innovation (3)](https://insights.alula.clg.com/blog/topic/innovation)
- [Lifesciences (3)](https://insights.alula.clg.com/blog/topic/lifesciences)
- [Prompt (3)](https://insights.alula.clg.com/blog/topic/prompt)
- [Safety (3)](https://insights.alula.clg.com/blog/topic/safety)
- [AI (2)](https://insights.alula.clg.com/blog/topic/ai)
- [Burnout (2)](https://insights.alula.clg.com/blog/topic/burnout)
- [Call Centers (2)](https://insights.alula.clg.com/blog/topic/call-centers)
- [Manufacturing (2)](https://insights.alula.clg.com/blog/topic/manufacturing)
- [New Leader Transitions (2)](https://insights.alula.clg.com/blog/topic/new-leader-transitions)
- [Onboarding (2)](https://insights.alula.clg.com/blog/topic/onboarding)
- [Wellbeing (2)](https://insights.alula.clg.com/blog/topic/wellbeing)
- [Workplace Mental Health (2)](https://insights.alula.clg.com/blog/topic/workplace-mental-health)
- [Leadership Unscripted (1)](https://insights.alula.clg.com/blog/topic/leadership-unscripted)
- [Professional Development (1)](https://insights.alula.clg.com/blog/topic/professional-development)
- [Silos (1)](https://insights.alula.clg.com/blog/topic/silos)
- [decarbonization (1)](https://insights.alula.clg.com/blog/topic/decarbonization)
- [employee recognition (1)](https://insights.alula.clg.com/blog/topic/employee-recognition)
- [lower-carbon (1)](https://insights.alula.clg.com/blog/topic/lower-carbon)
- [net-zero (1)](https://insights.alula.clg.com/blog/topic/net-zero)

see all

### Blog Authors

- ![](https://insights.alula.clg.com/hubfs/alula-favicon.png)[ALULA](https://insights.alula.clg.com/blog/author/alula)
- ![](https://insights.alula.clg.com/hubfs/blog_2024hsALULA_Cole-Brian_1-1.jpg)[Brian Cole, Ph.D.](https://insights.alula.clg.com/blog/author/brian-cole)
- ![](https://insights.alula.clg.com/hubfs/blog_2024hsALULA_Crowley-Koch-Brian_2.jpg)[Brian Crowley-Koch, Ph.D.](https://insights.alula.clg.com/blog/author/brian-crowley-koch-ph-d)
- ![](https://insights.alula.clg.com/hubfs/blog_2024hsALULA_Kramer-Debbie_1.jpg)[Debbie Kramer](https://insights.alula.clg.com/blog/author/debbie-kramer)
- ![](https://insights.alula.clg.com/hubfs/blog_2024hsALULA_Conway-Dee_1.jpg)[Delores (Dee) Conway](https://insights.alula.clg.com/blog/author/delores-dee-conway)
- ![](https://insights.alula.clg.com/hubfs/Erin.jpg)[Erin Thibault](https://insights.alula.clg.com/blog/author/erin-thibault)
- ![](https://insights.alula.clg.com/hubfs/danielle-geissler.jpg)[Danielle Hochstein, Ph.D.](https://insights.alula.clg.com/blog/author/https-insights-alula-clg-com-blog-author-danielle-geissler-ph-d)
- ![](https://insights.alula.clg.com/hubfs/blog_2024hsALULA_Dale-John_1.jpg)[John Dale](https://insights.alula.clg.com/blog/author/john-dale)
- ![](https://insights.alula.clg.com/hubfs/blog_2024hsALULA_Therrien-Kelly_1.jpg)[Kelly Therrien](https://insights.alula.clg.com/blog/author/kelly-therrien)
- ![](https://insights.alula.clg.com/hubfs/blog_2024hsALULA_Jones-Kevin_2.jpg)[Kevin Jones](https://insights.alula.clg.com/blog/author/kevin-jones)
- ![](https://insights.alula.clg.com/hubfs/KimHuggins.png)[Kim Huggins](https://insights.alula.clg.com/blog/author/kim-huggins)
- ![](https://insights.alula.clg.com/hubfs/blog_2024hsALULA_Riley-Krystyna_3.jpg)[Krystyna Riley](https://insights.alula.clg.com/blog/author/krystyna-riley)
- ![](https://insights.alula.clg.com/hubfs/blog_2024hsALULA_Woolsgrove-Lisa_2.jpg)[Lisa Woolsgrove](https://insights.alula.clg.com/blog/author/lisa-woolsgrove)
- ![](https://insights.alula.clg.com/hubfs/blog_2024hsALULA_Jimison-Mindy_2.jpg)[Mindy Jimison](https://insights.alula.clg.com/blog/author/mindy-jimison)
- ![](https://insights.alula.clg.com/hubfs/blog_Sophia%202.jpeg)[Sophia Cole](https://insights.alula.clg.com/blog/author/sophia-cole)

### Recent Posts

![ALULA: Uplifting Business Performance, A CLG Company](https://insights.alula.clg.com/hubfs/images/logos/ALULA_LOGO_full_Reversed.svg) ![ALULA:helping for 30 years](https://insights.alula.clg.com/hubfs/ALULA%20Logos/helping-clients.svg)

[![](https://alula.clg.com//assets/img/linkedin.svg)](https://www.linkedin.com/company/alula-clg/) [![](https://alula.clg.com/assets/img/facebook.svg)](https://www.facebook.com/ALULA.clg/)

ALULA® is a management consultancy specializing in scaling and growing enterprise transformation capability, end-to-end. With expertise in behavioral science and business, we help organizations implement strategy and reduce risk for operational and cultural transformation success. Our strength is ensuring that Fortune 500 and mid-market companies execute every change with confidence.

How Can We Help?

- [Contact us online](https://alula.clg.com/contact)
- Call us: 8:00 am - 5:00 pm EST

ALULA® is a registered servicemark of ALULA, and DCOM® is a registered servicemark of CLG (dba ALULA). © 2026 ALULA. All rights reserved.

- [Site Map](https://alula.clg.com/site-map)
- [Privacy Policy](https://alula.clg.com/privacy-policy)
- [Cookies](https://alula.clg.com/cookies)
- [Terms](https://alula.clg.com/terms)