From Command and Control to Shared and Empowered: The Radical Shift in Modern Leadership

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We can all agree that leadership is an essential aspect of organizational success. The direction the company follows is the direction of the top leaders. In other words, if highly engaged leaders roll up their sleeves and work with their teams, we see a stronger culture and consistent results. And when a distant leader is stuck in their office in countless meetings, we tend to see a disconnection and inconsistent results. Both examples follow a more traditional leadership model where the leader’s authority and expertise are prioritized and can heavily dictate the direction of a company. This model can be riskier in today’s complex and ever-changing business environment. Traditional leadership models have proven insufficient due to a lack of engagement, limited perspectives and ideas, lack of adaptability, and reduced job satisfaction resulting in increased turnover. In response, two different models of shared leadership and empowerment have gained popularity in recent years due to their effectiveness in driving business growth and innovation. While they share some similarities, they are different in several ways. Let’s explore their similarities and differences.

Shared Leadership

Shared leadership is a leadership model that distributes responsibilities among team members. In shared leadership, all team members are encouraged to take on leadership roles and responsibilities to achieve a common goal. It is a collaborative approach to leadership that promotes collective decision-making and consensus-building. Shared leadership recognizes that everyone has unique strengths and perspectives that can contribute to the team’s success. It is a highly democratic leadership model that promotes trust, transparency, and accountability.

Shared leadership is becoming increasingly popular in organizations due to its effectiveness in promoting innovation, agility, and adaptability. In shared leadership, everyone is encouraged to contribute their ideas and perspectives, which can lead to more creative and innovative solutions. It also promotes agility and adaptability, as team members can quickly adapt to changes in the business environment.

Google is a well-known example of a company implementing a shared leadership model. The company’s approach to shared leadership is designed to foster collaboration, creativity, and innovation among team members. To achieve this, Google uses a method called “grouplet,” which allows team members to take turns leading the group and making decisions. This approach helps to distribute leadership responsibilities more evenly, promote accountability, and encourage diverse perspectives. By encouraging open communication and allowing team members to take ownership of their work, Google has created a culture of collaboration and teamwork, resulting in higher employee engagement and job satisfaction. This, in turn, has helped the company to attract and retain top talent in the highly competitive technology industry. 

Shared leadership is essential for organizational success because it offers several benefits that can improve team members’ performance, engagement, and job satisfaction. It promotes better decision-making by leveraging team members’ diverse perspectives and expertise. This approach allows for a broader range of ideas and insights, leading to more creative and effective solutions. Shared leadership increases motivation by giving team members a sense of ownership and accountability for their work. When team members feel valued and empowered, they are more likely to be engaged and committed to the organization’s success. Finally, this model promotes higher job satisfaction by providing team members with opportunities to grow and develop their leadership skills. When team members have a sense of purpose and a clear path for growth, they are more likely to feel fulfilled and satisfied in their roles.

Shared leadership is a powerful and democratic approach to leadership that encourages collaboration, transparency, and accountability among team members. It recognizes each team member’s unique strengths and perspectives and leverages them to achieve a common goal. By promoting innovation, agility, and adaptability, shared leadership is becoming increasingly popular in organizations seeking to stay competitive in today’s fast-changing business environment. 

Empowerment

Empowerment is a leadership model that gives team members the authority and autonomy to make decisions and take action. Empowerment is based on the belief that everyone has the potential to be a leader and that leadership should not be limited to those in formal leadership positions. Empowerment is a highly participative leadership model that promotes ownership, responsibility, and accountability.

Empowerment is becoming increasingly popular in organizations due to its effectiveness in promoting employee engagement, productivity, and innovation. Empowerment gives team members a sense of ownership and responsibility for their work, which can lead to higher levels of engagement and productivity. It also promotes innovation by encouraging team members to take risks and try new things.

Southwest Airlines is an organization that follows the empowerment leadership model, which places a strong emphasis on employee empowerment and engagement. The company’s leadership philosophy is based on the belief that happy employees lead to satisfied customers and business success. To achieve this, Southwest Airlines has created a culture of empowerment that gives employees the freedom to make decisions and take ownership of their work. The model is implemented through ongoing training and development programs, open communication channels, and a focus on recognizing and rewarding employee contributions. These initiatives help employees feel supported and empowered to make decisions that benefit the company and its customers. By giving employees the freedom to make decisions and take ownership of their work, Southwest Airlines has created a highly engaged and committed workforce dedicated to providing excellent customer service and driving business growth.

The empowerment leadership model is essential for organizational success because it offers several benefits that can improve team members’ performance, engagement, and job satisfaction. It promotes job satisfaction by giving team members a sense of ownership and autonomy over their work. This approach fosters a culture of trust and respect, where team members feel valued and empowered to make decisions and take ownership of their work. The empowerment leadership model increases productivity by empowering team members to take action and make decisions quickly. Organizations can improve efficiency and achieve better results by eliminating unnecessary bureaucracy and empowering team members to take ownership of their work. Finally, the model promotes higher levels of employee engagement by giving team members a sense of purpose and meaning in their work. When team members clearly understand how their work contributes to the organization’s success and are empowered to make decisions, they are more likely to be engaged and committed to achieving the organization’s goals.

The Empowerment leadership model is a powerful tool that can drive organizational success by empowering team members to take ownership and accountability for their work. By embracing this approach, organizations can create a trust, respect, and collaborative culture that fosters innovation, productivity, and engagement.

Similarities of Shared and Empowerment leadership models:

1. Collaboration
Both models emphasize collaboration and teamwork. They recognize that everyone has unique strengths and perspectives that can contribute to the team’s success.

2. Collective Leadership
Both models distribute leadership responsibilities among team members rather than relying solely on a single leader or formal leadership position.

3. Autonomy
Both models give team members a degree of autonomy, allowing them to take ownership of their work and make decisions.

4. Trust
Both models require a high level of trust among team members. They rely on open communication and transparency to build trust and promote accountability.

5. Personal and professional growth
Both models aim to promote personal and professional growth among team members. They provide opportunities for skill development, learning, and taking on leadership responsibilities.

6. Focus on outcomes
Both models prioritize achieving organizational goals and outcomes rather than individual goals or personal gain.

Differences between Shared and Empowerment leadership models:

1. Authority
Shared leadership focuses on distributing leadership authority and responsibilities among team members to achieve a common goal. It emphasizes collaboration, consensus-building, and collective decision-making. Empowerment, on the other hand, focuses on giving team members the individual authority and autonomy to make decisions and take action. It emphasizes ownership, responsibility, and accountability.

2. Leadership Style
Shared leadership is a democratic leadership style that promotes collaboration, trust, and transparency. It encourages everyone to contribute ideas and perspectives to achieve a common goal. Empowerment is a participative leadership style that promotes ownership, responsibility, and accountability. It encourages team members to take action and make decisions on their own.

3. Approach to Decision-Making
Shared leadership promotes collective decision-making, where team members work together to make decisions that are in the team’s best interest. On the other hand, empowerment promotes individual decision-making, where team members are given the authority and autonomy to make decisions independently.

4. Focus of Empowerment
Empowerment focuses more on individual growth and development than shared leadership. Empowerment aims to give team members the authority and autonomy to make decisions and take action, which can lead to personal and professional growth. Empowerment also promotes employee engagement and job satisfaction by giving team members a sense of purpose and meaning in their work.

5. Power Dynamics
Shared leadership and empowerment have different power dynamics. Shared leadership distributes leadership responsibilities among team members, which can lead to a more equitable distribution of power. On the other hand, empowerment involves giving team members more power and autonomy, which can create a power imbalance between team members and those in formal leadership positions.

6. Implementation
Finally, shared leadership and empowerment have different implementation strategies. Shared leadership requires a high level of trust, transparency, and collaboration among team members. It also requires a clear understanding of roles and responsibilities and a commitment to collective decision-making. Empowerment requires a supportive culture that encourages risk-taking, innovation, and autonomy. It also requires a clear understanding of expectations and a commitment to accountability and responsibility.

Conclusion

In conclusion, shared and empowerment leadership models have gained popularity in recent years due to their effectiveness in driving business growth and innovation. While they share some similarities, they differ in several ways, including authority, leadership style, approach to decision-making, focus on empowerment, power dynamics, and implementation strategies.

As a leader or company, it is essential to recognize the importance of these leadership models and their impact on organizational success. By embracing Shared or Empowerment leadership, organizations can create a culture of trust, respect, and collaboration that fosters innovation, productivity, and engagement.

It is crucial to promote personal and professional growth among team members and provide opportunities for skill development, learning, and taking on leadership responsibilities. By prioritizing achieving organizational goals and outcomes rather than individual goals or personal gain (once aligned with a more traditional leadership model), organizations can create a highly engaged and committed workforce dedicated to providing excellent customer service and driving business growth.

Let us all strive to be empowering leaders and create a positive impact on our organizations and the world.

References

1. Lack of Agility and Adaptability: Krause, D. E., Gebert, D., & Kearney, E. (2017). Taking stock of shared leadership: A meta-analysis of team outcomes. Journal of Occupational and Organizational Psychology, 90(1), 1-29. doi: 10.1111/joop.12150
2. Lack of Engagement: Gallup. (2020). State of the Global Workplace. Retrieved from https://www.gallup.com/workplace/245786/state-global-workplace-2017.aspx
3. Limited Pool of Ideas and Perspectives: Page, S. E. (2008). The Difference: How the Power of Diversity Creates Better Groups, Firms, Schools, and Societies. Princeton University Press.
4. Lipman, V. (2017). How Google Uses Shared Leadership to Build High-Performing Teams. Forbes.
5. Reduced Job Satisfaction: Ensari, N., & Murphy, S. E. (2019). The effects of shared leadership on team creativity and job satisfaction. Journal of Leadership and Organizational Studies, 26(3), 302-315. doi: 10.1177/1548051819838701