Building a culture of shared responsibility

Building on our discussion of people and culture strategies in the March 14 issue of NH Business Review, we now turn our focus to collective leadership — a dynamic and essential approach to leadership in today’s evolving workplace.

Before diving in, let’s clarify what we mean by leadership and collective leadership. Too often, the term leadership carries baggage, shaped by our experiences with ineffective or even harmful “leaders” in our own lives and in the public sphere. In our decades of leadership development experience, we’ve found that effective leadership is not defined by title, authority, nor salary.

We align with Brené Brown’s definition of leadership, as it resonates deeply with our experiences as global leadership development professionals: “Anyone who takes responsibility for finding the potential in people and processes and has the courage to develop that potential.”

This definition expands leadership beyond executive roles, positioning it as a practice that anyone, at any level, can embrace. Following this logic, collective leadership is about leveraging group strengths to achieve shared goals, a concept captured well by The Leadership Circle: “A collaborative process leveraging group strengths to achieve shared goals, rooted in trust, respect, and shared accountability.”

Unlike traditional, top-down leadership models, collective leadership is both an ethos and a practice — one that empowers individuals at all levels to lead from their positions. It fosters a culture of shared responsibility, accountability and collaboration, where leadership is distributed rather than concentrated in a select few.

Adopting a collective leadership model offers several advantages:

Enhanced decision-making: Diverse perspectives lead to more comprehensive and innovative solutions.

Increased agility: Organizations can respond more swiftly to changes when leadership is distributed.

Employee empowerment: Individuals feel valued and motivated when they have the opportunity to lead and contribute meaningfully.

Stronger collaboration: Shared leadership fosters a sense of unity and teamwork across departments.

A defining feature of collective leadership is accountability. When individuals across an organization take ownership of their actions and outcomes, it strengthens trust and reliability within teams. To cultivate this mindset, organizations must:

Ensure a clear, strategic and well-communicated vision, mission and values that align with the organization’s direction. This clarity empowers employees to understand the company’s trajectory and make informed decisions that drive progress toward shared goals.

Establish clear expectations for roles, responsibilities and decision-making (i.e., who is in charge of what decisions, and what is the scope of decision-making within given roles).

Provide regular feedback to reinforce both individual and team progress.

Foster a culture where mutual responsibility is embraced, not feared.

To effectively implement collective leadership from all levels of the organization, it’s important to note that “leadership” will look different, depending on position and circumstance, consider the following elements:

Self-leadership: Encourage individuals to take initiative, set personal goals and hold themselves accountable for their contributions.

Lateral leadership: Promote peer-to-peer influence, where colleagues guide and support each other without relying solely on formal authority.

Leading up: Empower employees to provide feedback and insights to those in higher positions, facilitating upward communication and influence.

Designated leadership: Recognize that certain situations may require specific individuals to take charge based on their expertise or role.

Active followership: Cultivate a culture where team members actively support leaders by providing input, respecting decisions and remaining engaged.

This approach moves beyond traditional hierarchical structures, recognizing that leadership can emerge from various individuals based on expertise, context and situational needs. By shifting leadership from a title to a collective practice, organizations can enhance engagement, innovation and resilience, ultimately driving both cultural and business success.

Brooke Moran and Paul Tame co-own Path Collective, a Certified B Corp dedicated to elevating the effectiveness of purpose-driven individuals, teams and organizations.