Rationale of the CLI

Through both the theoretical framework and the operational model, the CLI attempts to address the complexity of leadership and the chaos that inevitably emerges.

There is often a debate in relation to the importance of either agency (behaviour of people) or structure (organisational behaviour and systems) in shaping human behaviours, which is important in relation to collective leadership behaviours. The traditional focus for leadership has almost exclusively focused on agency rather than structure. Collective leadership reverses this focus whilst providing an appropriate balance between both the individual and the organisation and its networks.

If agency concerns the capacity of individuals to act independently and to make their own choices, then structure is the recurrent patterned arrangements, which influence or limit the choices and opportunities available and which can to some extent, be predicted. People, as with organisational processes, are therefore part of the contextual conditions for collective leadership. Both of these are given equal emphasis through the CLI. The individual lies at the heart of collective activity although another equally (if not more important) aspect of collective leadership is that of mutually beneficial relationships.

The rationale of the CLI

Relationships, Questions and Realism

The strengths of the CLI are based on its resonance with relationships and the asking of intelligent questions in the real world of leadership!

Relationships

There are dynamic interrelationships within the internal contexts of collective leadership and also between the internal and the external contexts. The COMPASS360 model draws these interrelationships together in identifying appropriate values and behaviours of leaders and leadership with seven possible combinations, represented by the ‘COMPASS’ mnemonic (illustrated above). This provides the opportunity to evaluate the effectiveness of collective leadership per se as well as its’ outcomes. It is suggested that this is a unique way of evaluating collective leadership.

A network is a means by which people interact with others to exchange information and develop professional or social contacts. It involves the skills of networking (the proactive focusing of attention of those within a network), bargaining and negotiation.

Working through networks is not rocket science; but neither is it easy! It requires a commitment and willingness to put aside your individual, team or organisational perspectives and work together for the good of the public; once again, this reinforces the public good nature of healthcare. Networks are a pervasive feature of healthcare leadership.

Intelligent Questions

Collective leadership asks the intelligent questions and encourages collective others within networks to consider the solutions. It favours leading-in-the-round rather than leading through the line. The underpinning research provides an insight on the benefits of collective leadership through creative and transformational leadership practice. It moves beyond the strategic level and considers ‘creative’ (team based) leadership and ‘transform’ (individual) leadership. It introduces a transform leadership inventory (TLI) which, together with the CLI, form a collective 360° leadership assessment and development approach. It supports an action learning approach in the development of applied leadership challenges in which practice and theory operate together. This unique approach reinforces the nature of collective leadership and applies this in a way that clearly aligns pedagogy to practice.

The Selfless Leader distances itself from views on the history of leadership which takes a rather dystopian view in which everything that could be bad about leadership has been that bad or, conversely, that the future of leadership is utopian in which collective leadership will solve all of societies wicked issues. It seeks to achieve an appropriate balance between individual and collective leadership and provides tools and techniques to support what it describes as the ‘leadership quomodo’ – the practice of leadership, addressing the oft-neglected “how” question of leadership within the context of the remaining five ‘intelligent leadership questions’ (‘what’, ‘why’, ‘when’, ‘where’ and ‘who’).

Real World of Leadership

For collective leadership the COMPASS360 model is adopted for practical purposes. This collective leadership model equates to Realist Evaluations’ mechanisms (the things that ‘trigger’ action or practice, that is the underpinning leadership behaviours) in supporting the contexts (which provide the givens, and which are often more difficult to influence, that is, the collective leadership values).

In summary, collective leadership – through networks - is focused on shared beliefs, values and identities. These help in shaping behaviours and explaining why and how shared values can actually mitigate the flaws of individual leaders through collective leadership. It cannot stress enough the importance of exploring the benefits of collective leadership as a form of leading through 360° intelligent networks, knowledge and skills (LINKS360 ®). It can thus be viewed as a transformative process of leadership which gives as much emphasis to the skills of the collective as well as the individual. The Collective Leadership Inventory is the tool through which these assessments can be made.