Composing Teams to Enable Shared Leadership
Problem-solving in todays’ world of work requires us to be adaptive as there are volatility, uncertainty, and ambiguity. As a result of this context, different expertise and divergent perspectives are needed to successfully adapt and identify the best course of action. For many years, organizations have employed team-based work structures to solve problems, integrate diverse knowledge and skills, and respond quickly to the ever-changing global market.
Q. How can teams best share leadership functions to maximize knowledge sharing and performance?
In my own research, we have examined how different shared leadership structures impact team performance and how best to compose teams for effective shared leadership. In a study where we examined a large number of teams working in the USA and India, we found that when leadership actions and behaviors of goal setting, monitoring, resource allocation, etc. are shared and distributed among multiple experts, rather than being concentrated in a single formal leader, teams are more effective.
But it’s not quite as simple to dynamically share leadership with peers. The effectiveness of sharing leadership depends on part on the make-up of the team members. Teams with a mix of members with different levels of dominance (proactive inclination to initiate action) and altruism (humility and other- orientation) can better leverage the benefits of this shared leadership model.
Why? These personality traits complement one another, so members are less likely to have dysfunctional struggles around power, control, and influence as they engage in shared leadership and shared followership in the team.
Our research indicates that organizations should pay closer attention to project team members’ personality composition to capitalize on members’ benefits with different types of expertise and allow for a more successful shared leadership structure to emerge.
Dr Ruchi Sinha is a Senior Lecturer as well as the Research Education Portfolio Leader at the School of Management, UniSA Business School and her research expertise lies in team dynamics, and particularly the role of voice, conflict, power, status and leadership within teams. Ruchi’s expertise lies in team dynamics and particularly the role of voice, conflict, power, status and leadership within teams. For more such articles, insights, and advice, subscribe to Ruchi’s newsletter below.