How To Develop A Culture Of Collective Leadership

What is collective leadership? How does it compare to a more traditional concept of leadership? What are the benefits? How did it develop and what are its theoretical foundations? In this article, we describe the key aspects and benefits of this process, which we apply in masvoz.

What Is Collective Leadership?

Collective leadership is a group of people who work together to achieve a shared goal. In this way, the team is motivated internally and externally, works together to achieve a common vision and uses their talents and skills to contribute to the success of the company. In fact, collective leadership recognizes that lasting success is not possible without diverse perspectives and contributions.

In this type of leadership, there is responsibility, commitment and shared decision making. All team members are involved in creating the same vision and are committed to working to achieve it. It is based on the assumption that everyone can and should lead. It also requires specific conditions for the success of the group: trust, making consensual decisions, transparent and effective communication, responsibility and shared learning.

A key aspect of collective leadership is that success depends on the leadership of the entire group and not on the abilities of a single person. This shift from focusing on the abilities of any individual to the abilities, relationships, behaviors and practices of an entire team (two or more people) makes collective leadership different from other types and models of leadership.

How To Cultivate Collective Leadership?

Much is written about how organizations can cultivate leadership. What is now increasingly sought in modern companies is the creation of a collective culture of leadership where leaders develop, value and support at all levels with their team.

If we assume that the definition of leadership is the ability to create and / or influence the results that matter, both in terms of results and relationships, then we can also assume that at some point all employees have the potential to be a leader.

Empowering people to become leaders has the ability to benefit companies in several ways. It promotes greater commitment and responsibility at all levels, and produces the most important future business leaders.

How Can Organizations Generate A Culture Of Collective Leadership?

1) Cultivating Leadership As A Mantra

When collective leadership aligns with values, vision and mission, and is integrated into KPIs and performance evaluations, it can become a central part of an organization’s identity. Also, the language of leadership can be integrated into everyday conversations.

While language alone will not drive change, it will create momentum for the company to take steps to recognize and encourage collective leadership.

2) Recognizing The Potential In All Areas

All people have the potential to be leaders in different ways. It is important to encourage employees, in all areas, to broaden their perspective and develop leadership skills, both individual and collective.

Noting only a few people who “have potential” ignores the fact that others also have it and, a consequence often less considered of talent programs, is that they can alienate and impact the ability and desire of others of wanting to become leaders.

3) Empowering People To Have A Voice

It is important that those who occupy high-level positions are willing to share and delegate responsibility and authority instead of keeping it centralized.

Collective leadership helps foster an environment where people feel their voice and contribution count, and where they are encouraged to take more responsibility. This is a way to ensure that employees feel empowered to take a step forward and have the feeling that they are reliable and valued.

Having authority allows others, within reason, to take calculated risks, make mistakes and be responsible for learning from them. In this way all great leaders grow and learn.

4) Promoting Learning And Development

Leadership can be developed, both individually and collectively. Continuous learning and development are essential to cultivate leaders and profoundly influence the culture of the organization.

However, learning and development go beyond training and skills development. It is about helping people understand what internal factors motivate them and how they show up in the workplace, broadening the perspective and cultivating new mentalities.

Deeper development includes exploring how to be more effective from the inside out. Through awareness and continuous practice, everyone can learn how and why they stop at the times when their contribution is most needed. Cultivating and fostering this awareness is a key component of collective leadership and cultural transformations in organizations.

5) Trusting Opinions And Decisions

Giving people responsibility and authority goes hand in hand with support and confidence in their opinions and decisions, even when they differ from those of senior managers or leaders. Conventional management chooses to support leaders who say and do the same as them and “adjust” to the existing culture.

To foster genuine cultural change that encompasses collective leadership, new approaches and perspectives must be encouraged and embraced. In organizations with a vision of the future where collective leadership is deeply valued, people recognize and appreciate the benefit of new approaches and expectations.

6) Becoming A Mentor And Guide

Aspiring leaders need mentors and guides to support them in their leadership journey.

One of the less obvious forms of leadership is “service leadership,” in which leaders are dedicated to serving the collective good. Included in this is the desire to guide, teach others and transmit what they know, humbly guiding others through their own career. Likewise, service leaders offer feedback on how people can prepare for the future.

The development of a leadership culture is based on accepting that leadership can arise and, with will, will arise at all levels of an organization. By investing in the development of collective leadership, companies can establish the conditions for future vision, creativity, sustainability and shared success.

The Collective Leadership In masvoz

In masvoz we are committed to collective leadership, to form a united team in which people can develop their skills individually and collectively. Therefore, we invest in training that helps our employees and managers to share knowledge and experiences, in order to help them evolve in their professional career.

Because in masvoz we not only value people for the work they perform within the organization, but for all that they can offer on a personal level to both the company and its teammates and team leaders, also practicing active listening in the sessions collective

Investing in people is to allocate resources effectively to create an organization in which the satisfaction of our employees is reflected in the loyalty of our customers. It is our way of building a joint vision of the future.