Co-leadership models are becoming increasingly popular in the charity sector, with two or more people sharing leadership responsibilities in the same job role. I’ve recently been reflecting on the benefits and challenges of a co-leadership model as more of my clients are considering how co-leadership can serve their organisation. With candidates also starting the conversation, I thought it was time to reflect on its pros and cons.
There’s no doubt that co-leadership has been gaining traction. We’ve seen this in the co-chair models we’ve recently appointed for several clients, but what about the co-CEO or co-executive model?
It presents a compelling alternative to traditional single-leader structures, offering advantages such as enhanced decision-making, diverse perspectives, greater scope for innovation, and shared responsibilities. However, there are challenges, including barriers to adoption — many boards who oversee this recruitment prefer full-time leaders — the potential for conflict, dilution of authority, confusion, inconsistency, and delays.
There is also a perceived or accepted wisdom that power-sharing never works.
But it often does work. Under the right circumstances, it can be both liberating and powerful.
As the job of running organisations becomes more complex and multi-faceted and the scope of responsibilities grows, the co-CEO model deserves a closer look.
Co-leadership: the pros
1. Leveraging the benefits of a broader range of knowledge and skills
This diversity of experience and skills enhances problem-solving and fosters innovative solutions, as different viewpoints provide more comprehensive and creative approaches to challenges.
2. Robust decision making
If two leaders are collaborating, it can mean that individual biases or blind spots are called out, and different facets of an issue are considered, giving more balanced and well-thought-through solutions.
3. Reducing the workload burden
In complex and challenging workplaces, it can enhance resilience and enable quicker adjustment to changing circumstances, in turn offering more agile responses to emergent opportunities and threats.
4. Better employee engagement and advice
Co-leadership can positively impact employees, freeing time and accessibility for mentoring and support.
5. Peer learning
Co-leadership means there is opportunity for peer-to-peer mentoring, a critical friend by your side and therefore a valuable learning and self-reflection opportunity.
Co-leadership: the cons
1. Conflict
A real threat to this working is the potential for conflict where differing opinions, management approaches and strategic perspectives can clash and undermine rather than enhance a harmonious working relationship.
2. Dilution of authority
Coordinating actions and decisions between two leaders requires excellent communication and mechanisms to enable collaboration. Without that, decision-making and coordination can be slower.
3. Building trust
If co-leaders are new to each other, there needs to be a commitment of time and effort to build trust, aligning goals and agree areas of focus playing to each individual’s particular areas of expertise.
4. Cost
It can be more costly. Organisations need to weigh up the cost benefit and ensure this is a sustainable and impactful option.
Should you adopt a co-leadership model?
I believe the co-leadership model presents a range of advantages, and we’ll see its adoption more comprehensively as organisations require innovation and resilience to sustain their impact. Co-leadership can diversify and increase the range and calibre of candidates who apply for roles.
As recruiters, we need to help our clients consider the benefits, adapt recruitment and onboarding processes, and ensure capacity and expertise at the Board level to effectively support co-leaders.
However, organisations considering it must carefully weigh up the pros and cons and ensure they have the right structures and mechanisms to enable the model to flourish, embrace this way of working wholeheartedly and support co-leaders well.
Philippa Fabry is the Director of our Not for Profit Practice. She has been recruiting transformational leaders to third sector organisations for over 17 years, which has focused on arts and culture, social justice, start up, social enterprises and social care. To learn more about how she can support you as a candidate or client, you can email Philippa or connect with her on Linkedin.
