For some, the term Shared Leadership sounds like the next buzzword from the Future of Work playbook—or just another trend from the ever-inventive leadership industry. But that impression couldn’t be further from the truth.
Shared Leadership is, in fact:
- A well-researched phenomenon in leadership science, and
- A widespread, yet often overlooked practice in real-world collaboration.
It’s time we took Shared and Distributed Leadership seriously—and started unlocking their full potential in our organizations.
What the Leadership Research Says
Few concepts in leadership science have been studied as extensively over the past 20 years as Shared Leadership. Since the groundbreaking work of Pearce and Conger around the early 2000s, the number of studies has multiplied. Today, we have at least four meta-analyses that confirm the positive effects of Shared Leadership on team performance, engagement, and collaboration.
This visual (below) speaks for itself:
Where Shared Leadership Is Hiding in Plain Sight
What may feel like a new idea is, in fact, deeply rooted in both history and everyday practice—we’ve simply forgotten how to see it. Here’s a quick tour of where Shared Leadership has quietly been at work:
- Roman Empire: Emperor Diocletian split power among four rulers. The Tetrarchy worked—until Diocletian retired, and civil war broke out as the others fought for sole control. A more stable model was Rome’s principle of collegiality, with dual appointments in high offices to prevent abuse of power.
- Monasteries and medieval universities: Leadership was shared among the Abbot, Prior, and Cellarer—or between Chancellor and Rector. This structure still exists today.
- Dual leadership at the top: Hewlett & Packard’s legendary 30-year co-leadership at HP helped define one of the most admired corporate cultures in history—the HP Way.
- Executive leadership teams: Boards and C-suites also distribute leadership—at least in theory. Yet true Shared Leadership is often undermined by turf battles and silo thinking.
- Matrix organizations: Here, leadership is already divided between line and project managers—but often without clarity or awareness of shared responsibility.
- Deputy models: Long in use, but often misunderstood. Deputies typically “fill in” during absence—not co-lead. That misses the point of Shared Leadership entirely.
- Scrum teams: In agile settings, Product Owners and Scrum Masters divide leadership duties once held by a single person. This logic of role-based leadership is spreading to other team setups.
- Everyday self-organization: Think of the neighbor who initiates a block party, rallies others to help, and coordinates tasks. That’s Shared Leadership in action—no title required.
So why don’t we recognize Shared Leadership when we see it? Because we’re still stuck in the outdated idea that “there can only be one” leader. The myth of the lone hero at the top remains a dominant narrative—but it doesn’t reflect how leadership really works.
Why Now Is the Right Time to Embrace Shared Leadership
There are many good reasons to take Shared Leadership seriously—especially right now:
- Leaders are overwhelmed.
- Organizations are growing more complex.
- Employees expect participation and ownership.
Shared Leadership offers a powerful response. It…
- relieves pressure on leaders,
- empowers teams,
- enhances leadership effectiveness,
- and makes organizations more resilient.
How? By reducing dependency on individuals, spreading decision-making, allowing leaders to focus on what matters, and enabling more people to grow into leadership roles. Leadership becomes part of the organization’s DNA.
But be warned: Shared Leadership doesn’t just happen. It must be intentionally introduced (check out our Triple-A Model) and sustained with clarity, persistence, and a pioneering spirit.
Let’s Change the Lens Together
Shared and Distributed Leadership are not just trends—they are already part of organizational life. The task now is to make them visible, intentional, and effective. They work not only in startups or agile teams, but also in traditional hierarchies, cross-functional projects, executive boards, and even “bossless” organizations.
Curious? Let’s Talk.
Chat with our Shared Leadership Bot.
