The Inner Dance of Collective Leadership 

April 28, 2011 LLC Webinar

Alain Gauthier alain@coreleadership.com

www.globaltransformingensemble.org

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Structuring our joint exploration around five questions

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1.  What is the meaning of leadership in the world now emerging? 2.  How does collective leadership (CL) differ from individual

leadership (IL)? 3.  What are some of the inner shifts in beliefs and attitudes that you

have noticed in yourself and others when experiencing CL?

4.  What practices can be used to actualize CL and access collective wisdom?

5. How can we contribute to the deepening and dissemination of CL?

1. What is the meaning of leadership?

 “Lead” originates from the Indo‐European root “leith” which means to “go forth”, to “cross the threshold”, or even to “die” 

    What threshold must be crossed before something  new can emerge?        

   Can le@ng go of what we know feel like dying? 

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Crossing a threshold?

What if leadership meant:  

 ‐ Facing the unknown with openness and trust?  ‐ Sensing what is emerging by being present to what is?   

 ‐ ParGcipaGng creaGvely in a wider field of knowing  and doing, giving voice to an evoluGonary impulse? 

 ‐ Taking self and others to where we have never been  before? 

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Crossing the threshold from domination to partnership paradigm

   Leadership ≠ authority or posiGon 

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2. How does collective leadership (CL) differ from individual leadership (IL)?

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From the individual leadership “tripod” to collective leadership

Leader

Follower

SharedGoals

Leadership

DAC

Membership

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Leadership produces three outcomes (DAC) as means to attain longer-term goals

•

- Direction: understanding and assenting to the value of the collective’s goals

- Alignment: organizing and coordinating knowledge and work

- Commitment: members subsuming their own efforts and benefits within the collective effort and benefit

8 Adapted from Wilfred Drath et al

A D C

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Quality of direction

Quality of interaction

Vision-driven community – Shared perspective

– Commitment to the whole organization

– Trust, high energy

Fragmented group – Inconsistent perspectives

– Silo mentality

– Politics, low energy

Group self-diagnostic tool

Ideas

Trust

Generative

Proactive

Reactive

Passive

Conflict Respect Solidarity Unity Adapted by Alain Gauthier & Mark Tigchelaar from McKinsey

DAC leadership integrates three new areas of leadership theory

•• Shared/distributed/rotating/collective leadership (lateral or peer influence, concertive action)

• Complexity leadership (entanglement between top-down, bottom-up, circular)

• Leadership as a relational process (interpersonal influence, dialogue, mutuality)

Enables the adoption of new practices in areas such as mutual adjustment, shared sense making, collective learning

10 Adapted from Wilfred Drath et al

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3. What are some of the inner shifts in beliefs and attitudes that you have noticed in yourself and others

when experiencing collective leadership?

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DAC leadership framework

13 Adapted from Wilfred Drath et al 

Individual and collective beliefs and practices at the core of the DAC framework

14 Adapted from Wilfred Drath et al

•  Belief = a disposiGon to behave (aka mental map, desire, value) •  PracGce = the playing out of that disposiGon 

 CollecGves characterized by a relaGvely stable web of common  beliefs about how to produce DAC 

   Feedback loops from DAC point toward the need to  ‐  improve pracGces (single‐loop learning about the how)   ‐   quesGon pracGces and their underlying beliefs (double‐           and triple‐loop learning about the what and the why) 

An integral view of leadership’s influence on the collective

Awareness, beliefs, mindset, values, 

intenGons, vision 

Observable behavior  

Culture: shared beliefs, habits, norms, values and vision 

Systems, strategies, structures, 

rules 

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Interior/ subjective

Exterior/Objective

Individual

Collective Adapted from Ken Wilber

Traditional Mangt.

Leadership Influence

Interior Conditions for Collective Leadership

  Personal awareness of one’s own attitude and behavior

  Sense of profound interdependence

  Valuing diverse, complementary views, gifts, and skills

  Mindset of being of service/ongoing learning/partnering

  Opening to inspiration and guidance from the larger field

  Trust in life’s process and in evolution

  Attention to the quality of relationship with self, others, and the larger whole

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Sense of interdependence?

Dimensions of Presence-Centered Evolutionary Leadership

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RelaGonship to oneself 

RelaGonship to others 

RelaGonship to the whole 

Head Center 

Awareness‐based 

Mentally clear Conscious AXenGve IntuiGve 

Valuing mulGple   perspecGves AcGon Inquiry Alignment  

Global vision Clarity about interconnecGon 

Heart Center 

Love‐infused 

SensiGve Connected to feelings Open, non‐judgmental 

Hear\elt and ethical relaGonships EmpatheGc listening AXunement Courage 

Global compassion Sense of service  

Hara Center 

Presence‐centered 

Embodied intent Grounded Self‐sufficient and recepGve 

Shared presence Root connecGon Entrainment 

Globally‐informed right acGon Sensing the field 

Global Transforming Ensemble’s 3H model

Questions and comments

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4. What practices can be used to actualize collective leadership and access collective wisdom?

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Personal practices enabling a shift from Individual to Collective Leadership

Engage in individual action inquiry (first-person research):

• Journaling, auto-biographical writing

• Distinguishing between desires and intentions

• Surfacing and challenging one’s beliefs and assumptions (see four column conceptual map)

• Deepening one’s intuition and inner knowing through body-mind awareness practices

• Seeking coaching/mentoring, role-playing

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Four-Column Conceptual Map to surface Big Assumptions (2 examples)

1. Commitment 2.What I’m doing or not doing that prevents my commi- tment from being realized

3. Competing Commitments

4. Big Assumptions

I am committed to the value or importance of ..

However, I observe that …

I may also be committed to…

I assume that if…

… partnering on key issues with other co-leaders

… when pressing issues come up, I do not take the time to hold a dialogue with them

… getting things done quickly

… I donʼt respond quickly, then I will be seen as indecisive by the staff or other stakeholders

… taking time to build and deepen my relationships with other co-leaders

… I donʼt create the time in my calendar to get to know them better

…use my time most efficiently as a manager

… I donʼt devote enough time to solving problems, I am not adequate for the task

Adapted by Alain Gauthier from Kegan & Lahey’s Immunity to Change (2009)

Interpersonal Practices Enabling a Shift from Individual to Collective leadership

• Engage in collaborative action inquiry (second-person research)

- Practice high-quality advocacy/inquiry, reflective, and generative dialogue

- Address conflicts as opportunities to learn; practice “tough love”

- Apply systems thinking archetypes to complex issues

- Work creatively with dilemmas and paradoxes (e.g. using a polarity map)

- Practice new forms of speaking, listening and interacting in a peer group

- Engage in joint experiences that nurtures moment-to-moment awareness

• Build a shared vision and creative tension with diverse partners and stakeholders – as a prerequisite for profound organizational change

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Building a Polarity Map Illustration: rewarding excellence

Adapted from Barry Johnson’s Polarity Management - Identifying and Managing Unsolvable Problems, Human Resource Development, 1997

I+ C+

I– C–

Positive outcomes from focusing on rewarding individual excellence

Positive outcomes from focusing on rewarding collective excellence

Negative outcomes from focusing only on individual rewards and neglecting collective rewards

Negative outcomes from focusing only on collective rewards and neglecting individual rewards

Left Pole Right Pole

Upsides

Downsides

Co-leadership assessment questionnaire 1. Individual level

1.  Individual co-leader’s intentions, attitudes, and commitments

2. Individual co-leader’s behaviors

a.  Do I view the collective leadership approach as crucial to achieve our goals?

b.  Do I believe that my partners want our co-leadership to succeed?

c.  Am I committed to the outcomes of co-leadership (DAC)?

d.   Am I willing to challenge my assumptions about leadership?

e.  Do I value the complementary qualities among us?

f.  Do I trust my partners to make a decision on my behalf?

a.  Do I advocate for a co-leadership approach?

b.  Do I listen actively to my partners? c.  Do I respect co-leadership principles

(equity, transparency, mutual benefit) in my daily behavior?

d.   Do I seek and give pointed and helpful feedback from/to my partners?

e.  Do I follow through on my commitments? f.  Do I show respect for my partners even

when they are not present? g.  Do I support the developmental

aspirations and needs of my partners? h.   Do I acknowledge my partners for their

accomplishments?

Alain Gauthier, using Ken Wilber’s 4-quadrant framework 25

Co-leadership assessment questionnaire 2. Collective level

3. Co-leadership’s mindsets, values, and norms

4. Co-leadership’s structures, systems, and strategies

a.  Do we share an understanding of the benefits and risks of co-leadership?

b.  Are we aligned around a shared vision and shared values?

c.  Do we openly share ideas even when they are diverse?

d.   Are we open to change our viewpoints about our stakeholders?

e.  Are we giving each other the benefit of the doubt?

f.  Have we developed a culture of trust among ourselves and around our co- leadership?

g.  Are we continually looking for opportunities to learn, change, and improve?

h.   Do we consciously build and maintain the field of collective leadership?

a.  Are our co-leadership agreements clear and well understood by everyone?

b.  Are incentives in place for co-leaders to think and act for the benefit of the collective?

c.  Do we have the combined skills, competences, and tools to succeed in our joint efforts?

d.   Do we have the structures and ground rules in place to work effectively together?

e.  Are we freely sharing the information with our stakeholders?

f.  Are our strategic priorities clear to everyone concerned?

g.  Do we set and respect high standards of quality in everything we do?

h.   Are we bringing the best and most complementary resources to make the collective leadership successful?

i.   Do we embed our collective leadership practices in the organization so that it can sustain and renew over time?

Alain Gauthier, using Ken Wilber’s 4-quadrant framework 26

Cultivating interior conditions for collective leadership

Individual conditions (practices, exemplarity, coaching, support network)

Collective conditions (interpersonal practices, team/network learning, team coaching, intercultural journeys)

Alain Gauthier, Core Leadership Development

Questions and comments

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5. How can we contribute to the deepening and dissemination of collective leadership?

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Five dimensions of relationships in a collective (reflected in the survey)

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CollecGve (contribuGon, care)  

Nature (balance) 

Harmonic Vibrancy (well being)            

Other (mutuality) 

Source: Jim Ritchie Dunham – Ecosynomics

Integral dynamics of harmonic vibrancy (reflected in the survey)

Ability to self‐determine 

Ability to self‐sustain 

Social fabric 

Inter‐cultural idenGty 

Social structures & processes 

Economic opportuniGes 

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Interior/Subjective

Exterior/Objective

Individual

Collective

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… and the level of harmonic vibrancy is influenced by the quality of leadership in the collective

There are collectives experiencing a high level of harmonic vibrancy…

Assessing leadership quality in diverse communities

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In my experience, our leadership: • Invites us to clarify our shared intentions • Inspire us to see the gifts and differing points of view of other groups we know • Cares deeply for the quality of relationships and the overall well-being of the group • Lives in the present, as it considers the past and the future • Cares deeply for every member of our group • Before making decisions, reaches out, listens, reflects deeply, and invites us to do the same • Is effective in guiding us toward the development and wise use of our resources, for the benefit

of the whole group • Fully reflects in its behavior the shared values, agreements, and ethics that we have developed

as a group, under its guidance • Engages members in collaborative inquiries about key issues for the group • Inspire us to see the gifts of the other members of the group • Demonstrates its willingness to learn from what happens in the group, and to change the group

structures and processes, when appropriate • Helps us take into account all the stakeholders in what we do • Our leadership inspires us to value our complementary qualities and different viewpoints • Invites us to be aware of where we are in the present, and to be audacious and persistent in

closing the gap between our aspirations and reality • Help us see the meaning of our community’s successes and challenges, and connects them

to where we are as a group • Recognizes the gifs of all the members of the group and invites each of us to express them in

fulfilling our greatest individual potential

Global Transforming Ensemble – ISC/GTE Survey:  http://www.surveymonkey.com/s/3VV36Q9

Dimensions to consider in designing collective leadership development

(which includes and transcends individual leader development)

•  Use the four-quadrant framework to highlight less-explored domains of leadership beliefs and practices

•  Adopt a developmental framework, at least when looking at the interior quadrants (intentions/beliefs and culture)

•  Include skills and practices to co-create or change a collective leadership culture (including team/partnership/ network/organizational learning and development)

•  Design new ways of assessing, challenging, and supporting the development of leaders by framing individual behavior as participation in webs of beliefs and practices

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Less-explored domains of co-leadership practices

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PracGcing living systems thinking Addressing dynamic, social and    generaGve complexity Developing ecoliteracy in the system Se@ng up liberaGng structures Rewarding collaboraGon Designing systems to enhance alignment Changing the rules of the game ExperimenGng with new pracGces 

I 

We 

It 

Its 

Interior  Exterior 

Alain Gauthier, using Ken Wilber’s 4-quadrant framework

Understanding the triune brain and neuroplasGcity PracGcing acGon inquiry (double‐ and triple‐loop learning) Developing engaged advocacy skills Developing genuine listening skills Combining empatheGc support and confrontaGon Becoming fluent in body language Focusing on one’s breath 

Challenging collecGve leadership beliefs Engaging in generaGve dialogue with mulGple stakeholders Tapping into collecGve intelligence/wisdom Partnering across boundaries Building shared vision/direcGon  CreaGng cultural alignment  GeneraGng mutual commitment Developing shared/distributed leadership 

Developing self‐awareness and self‐witness Challenging individual leadership beliefs DisGnguishing desires and intenGons Embracing paradoxes Developing a personal vision Becoming a learning leader AdopGng a service mindset Developing relaGonal intelligence Developing body intelligence Developing presence and intuiGon 

Potential Resources   On Developing collective leadership: paper by that title on the GTE website

http://globaltransformingensemble.org/ as well as: Developing generative change agents across sectors

  On presence-centered evolutionary leadership: GTE website (home page, PCE Leadership, ITC/PCEL presentation)

  On a developmental perspective: paper on Stages of leadership development on the GTE website

  To access the GTE/ISC survey directly (15 minutes) http://www.surveymonkey.com/s/3VV36Q9/ or through the GTE website in the sidebar: Participate in our research

  On holosynomics and harmonic vibrancy: on the ISC website http://blog.instituteforstrategicclarity.org/

  On systems thinking archetypes: documents available on Jean Tully’s website (www.creatingclarity.com) and packages for sale at Pegasus Communications (http://www.pegasuscom.com/lpacks.html)

  For all other questions: alaingauthier@coreleadership.com

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