The modern trend of companies operating on a more lateral structure has caused a reliance on team performance. Across both large and small companies, team-based knowledge has become a main focus for business operations (Pearce & Barkus, 2004). However, this shift of reliance on teams requires a new approach to leadership that allows for shared responsibilities across team members. In order for a team to remain effective and fast-acting, team members must feel empowered to take action and share the responsibilities of leadership.
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Shared leadership requires a certain type of working environment in order to be successful. Specifically, it is recommended that the work has a high level of interdependence, creativity, and complexity (Pearce & Barkus, 2004). When the team members’ responsibilities are interconnected, and when members are all working toward a common goal, the team can be extremely productive. In implementing a shared leadership model, it is the responsibility of the vertical leader to focus on managing the boundaries of the team, filing knowledge voids, keeping the team focused on the goal, and ensuring that the team stays motivated.
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Shared Leadership in the Healthcare Environment
The level of complexity and creativity present in a working environment has a direct impact on the success of shared leadership models. In the healthcare environment, shared leadership can result in unorganized performance. For example, if medical students are charged with correctly diagnosing patients, it is recommended that a more vertical leadership style is relied on due to the need to rely on the knowledge of the overseeing physician (Pearce & Barkus, 2004). If a situation needs specific tasks from specific people, as is often the case in the healthcare environment, then a clearer team structure and assignment of duties can be a more organized way to operate.
Despite physician-oriented teams not being good candidates for shared leadership, other teams within the healthcare environment can benefit from a more horizontal leadership model. For example, teams within the billing department or caseworkers assigned with patient follow-up might be able to help their team operate more efficiently by using a shared leadership model. In these situations, leaders can focus on managing boundaries within the team and interchanging personnel depending on the case. With a shared leadership model, if an issue arises or a case becomes complex, team members can be empowered to help out and take responsibility.
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Shared Leadership in the Creative Environment
As the level of complexity and creativity of a project increases, the more likely that shared leadership models will be effective. A good example of effective shared leadership can be found within the marketing environment. In this situation, an ad agency can be tasked with creating a new campaign for a client. Rather than a leader trying to piece out every aspect of a campaign, such as messaging and graphic design, the team can work collaboratively on the project. This process can allow for a better integration of ideas and result in a higher-quality project. A main focus of the vertical leader in this situation would be ensuring that talented members are added to the team, particularly those who have a wide-range of skills.
Despite the creative nature of marketing, there are also situations where shared leadership would not be effective. In the day-to-day management of digital marketing campaigns, it might be a better idea to have specific personnel assigned to specific accounts. By an account having one main manager, the manager can ensure that strategies remain organized. With too many people making changes to an account using different approaches, performance can be negatively impacted. If an agency wants to share leadership across accounts, it is key that team members communicate with each other and clearly track the changes made to accounts.
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Conclusion
As more companies rely on teams to solve business problems, it is key that leaders understand the benefits and drawbacks associated with shared leadership. In order for shared leadership to be effective, teams should have the right combination of team members as well as the right combination of workload characteristics. Workload that is complex and requires a high level of creativity and interdependence between team members is a good candidate for shared leadership.
Case workers in the healthcare environment and creative teams in ad agencies are good examples of when shared leadership models can be successful. However, like in the case of patient diagnosis and day-to-day management of ad accounts, work that requires a high level of organization and specific assigned tasks may be better suited to other leadership models. When choosing to implement a shared leadership model, it is important that the vertical leader understands the true capabilities of their team and how that aligns with the reality of the project.
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Reference
Pearce, C. L., & Barkus, B. (2004). The future of leadership: Combining vertical and shared leadership to transform knowledge work. The Academy of Management Executive, 18(1), 47-59.