The purposes of this paper are twofold: (1) to propose a dual perspective combining cultural and political concepts as a basis for developing sociological understanding of teamwork in school leadership; and (2) to apply this perspective to examples from the interim findings of the research into senior management teams (SMT) in English secondary schools. There is widespread rhetoric about the value of team approaches to secondary school management. Much of North American research on secondary school improvement and effectiveness has tended to highlight the key role of the principal. British studies have generally acknowledged that while many headteachers and senior staff perceive themselves to work in a team, there is wide variation in their practice and in the evolving relationships among SMT members. An observational study was conducted of six schools, two of which were selected for more detailed study. Outlined is the rationale for a cultural and political perspective on interaction and their central concepts, which are applied to selected incidents and the issues they reflect. In conclusion, the paper indicates how the dual perspective may be employed to interpret other areas of their research findings. (Contains 28 references.) (RR)