Attributes of Collective Leadership

Evaluation & Funders' Learning Circles

Joint Meeting - January 2007

Understanding leadership

• Leadership is distributed and horizontal

• Leadership shifts depending on the task

• Leadership carries the belief that it can and will change the world

• Leadership embodies equity and equality in terms of how it functions and achieves goals and objectives

• Leadership is self-organizing and generative

• Leadership is interdependent

• Leadership is relational

• Leadership relies on intuition, feeling, and reason

• Leadership switches from using “I and us” language to “we” language

Shared vision/purpose/responsibility

• Holding the big vision is a shared and welcomed responsibility

• Synergy and alignment around purpose

• Shared values and culture in a system

• Shared ability to set direction, gain commitment

• People share a deeper calling

• Shared power among the group of leaders

• People are prepared to face a broad range of challenges

Values, Awareness and Capacities

• High degree of social intelligence (empathy, synchrony, etc.)

• Capacity for open dialogue

• Values collective learning

• Trust among the leaders

• Whole person is engaged

• Respect and recognition of individual’s background and expertise

• Values differences

• Involves individuals from a broad spectrum of disciplines, cultures, etc.

Group Process and Decision-Making

• Group enters into a shared space of deep reflection and listening

• Meetings flow and are purposeful (even without agendas)

• Members intuitively know when, where, how to apply their skills for the common good

• No one makes it happen—it’s like an orchestra spontaneously arriving at a location and playing music never composed and without a conductor

• Group dynamic brings out the best of each of the participating members

• The group respects experimentation and learning from disappointments or failures

• Shared responsibility for process and decision-making

• Group makes decisions about moving forward that resonate and make sense to people

Energy, Emergence and Collective Action

• A spirit of abundant possibility will permeate all aspects of the enterprise

• Participants reach new places within their own capacity – drawing energy, encouragement, and new ideas from the group and of course translating that dynamic to results in communities or organizations that would not have been possible alone

• Generative energy that unleashes potential for collective action

Networks and Systems

• Groups highly aware of the systems nature of their work

• Capacity to reach across and span boundaries

• Openness to new input, new partnering, and new ventures

• Power of collective leadership depends on the reach and the quality of relationships between people

Systems are in place to foster positive human and social capital towards effective interdependence – identifying and working towards mutually beneficial goals

Download the full Virtual Inquiry Document to view the full responses.