Collaborative Leadership

Distributed leadership provides an alternative view to those suggesed by traditional leadership models. This article provides an overview of the main theories about distributed leadership, and considers some of its advantages and disadvantages as a leadership approach.

The notion of the heroic leader is as unachievable as it is enduringly popular according to a 2007 article in the Harvard Business Review. If, as Ancona et al suggest in their article In Praise of the Incomplete Leader, the idea of the ‘complete’ leader is a myth, then how should today’s leaders lead? Their framework for distributed leadership suggests some of the answers.

An overview of Simon Western's work on this emerging leadership approach.

In a partnership, the role of the leader is to enable partners to see and deliver the partnership's vision. The leader (or leaders) should be supportive, leading from within rather than from the front. Here we examine the key characteristics required from leaders working within a collaborative environment.

This case study examines how collaborative leadership allows the world-famous Orpheus Chamber Orchestra to dispense with the need for a conductor.

The rise of the internet has allowed a new breed of organization to emerge. Coined ‘starfish’ organizations, such operations are highly decentralised and thrive on collaboration. Online listings service craigslist is a typical example. This article examines how leadership occurs in such a decentralised organization.