How do you share leadership: Consider leaderful practice

Don't Bother Putting Leadership into People (Part II)

The Contribution of Work-Based Learning

Given the contradictions cited in Part I of transferring learning detached from its practice that arise from using the list or position approach to leadership development, consider an alternative method known as work-based learning [see the external link for my book on the subject].  Largely based on the principles of action learning, it is a gateway to collective leadership. In brief, work-based learning:

views learning as acquired in the midst of action and dedicated to the task at hand

encourages participants to work on problems aimed at organizational and personal development

places learners in peer learning teams to support and challenge each other

demonstrates a learning-to-learn aptitude that values fresh questions over expert knowledge

Expressly merging theory with practice, work-based learning recognizes that the workplace offers as many opportunities for learning as the classroom. Such learning, however, needs to be centered around reflection on work practices. Hence, it offers people faced with the relentless pace of pervasive change an opportunity to overcome time pressures by reflecting upon and learning from the artistry of their actions.

Work-based leaning subscribes to the contextualized view that learning arises not from the transfer of representations from one mind to the next but from the social relations embedded within a community of practice.The context for learning is not taken for granted but is critically considered as learners adapt to new problems by reflecting together on their assumptions. Theory emerges, therefore, as much from hands-on practice as it does from a priori conceptualizations. Further, work-based learning calls for replacing the acquisition of skill with the development of meta-competence. Meta-competence is competence that transcends itself. Rather than focus on job-specific skills, participants learn situation-specific principles that can attend to the variability in work demands.

Work-based learning uses many diverse technologies, but primary is the deployment of action projects, learning teams, and other interpersonal experiences, such as mentorships, which permit and encourage learning dialogues. Learning dialogues that arise from direct peer observation are often most insightful.

 Leadership Development Through Work-Based Learning

Through work-based learning and its dialogic approaches, participants over time appear to surface a different form of leadership that is less characterized by the “great man” model and more by a collective form that I refer to as “leaderful” [please again consult the external link for this subject in Part I of this story]. This term is new but is required because the idea of involving everyone in leadership and seeing leadership as a collective property is quite distinctive from the archetype of leadership based on its root definition as the “person out in front.” It also falls in some respects into the domain of “shared leadership,” which has roots in empowerment, self-directed work teams, and in self-leadership. However, unlike some traditions in shared leadership, leaderful practice is collective rather than sequential or serial.

 The Tenets of Leaderful Practice

Leaderful practice is based on four critical tenets referred to as “the four c’s.” The leadership of teams and organizations can be collective, concurrent, collaborative and compassionate. In brief, collective leadership means that everyone in the group can serve as a leader; the team is not dependent on one individual to take over. Concurrent leadership means that not only can many members serve as leaders; they can do so at the same time. No one, not even the supervisor, has to stand down when someone is making a contribution as a leader. Collaborative leadership means that everyone is in control of and can speak for the entire team. All members pitch in to accomplish the work of the team. Together they engage in a mutual dialogue to determine what needs to be done and how to do it. Finally, in compassionate leadership, members commit to preserving the dignity of every single member of the team, meaning that they consider each individual whenever any decision is made or action taken.