The big goal is sustainability - but the way to get there can look very different. Much of this depends on the management style practiced in the company. Because even in supposedly a-hierarchical constellations, the same challenges often remain. The linchpin lies in the concrete implementation of leadership. The Shared LeaderShift© model is a particularly promising approach to this. Barbara Wietasch, Partner at TCI, explains how this innovative way of leading can be introduced into companies in the following concluding part of our interview series.
Three ways to achieve sustainability for companies - Barbara Wietasch in an interview
Hello Ms. Wietasch, with the Shared LeaderShift© concept, we assume a division of leadership according to roles - carried out by the individual players or "heroes" in the triumvirate. How does collaboration work here?
In fact, this model provides the leadership performance that is ideal for sustainable corporate success. By three people together, always at eye level. Good collaboration is essential to ensure that the three-person leadership structure works for the good of the organization. And compliance with governance, which defines values and rules of the game. It regulates how exchanges take place, how decisions are made and how it is ensured that the triumvirate speaks the same language.
Of course, this requires the management teams to meet regularly. Time for this joint work take. As is usual in agile working, a Exchange of rules take place, for example in the form of Weeklys. These follow a uniformly defined procedure, the rules of which can be set by the triumvirate itself.
The aforementioned governance requires that all roles act on an equal footing, that different perspectives are visible and are taken into account in cooperative decision-making. If you like, it can be described as the organizational cement of a new management culture. This type of leadership performance requires a corresponding basic attitude from all those involved, and certainly initially coaching, training and process support.
That sounds like a complicated implementation process along the way. What does the implementation in the company look like in concrete terms?
The triumvirate as a new management model can be introduced directly, i.e. even in line or matrix structures that are still distinct, depending on the degree of maturity or orientation of the organization. If there is a need or interest, it is also conceivable to start as an experiment. This really "only" requires a new way of thinking, the appointment of three role representatives or the fourth role and the design of governance for this first experiment.
With "Shared LeaderShift© in the Triumvirate", organizations can therefore quickly set out on the path to the future, without a major test run, if you like. In addition to the experiment, however, there are two other ways to do this: by seeing the company as a learning organization or by tackling strategic redesign in a comprehensive manner.
Well, let's start small with the experiment. So organizations can bring a new world into their old structures, so to speak?
Exactly; you could also call it a small appetizer or a pilot project. The idea is to try out the Shared LeaderShift© model first. If an organization chooses this path, it defines a certain period of time, for example twelve months, and introduces the triumvirate on a temporary basis and in a pilot or experimental group. For example, a department that has just been commissioned with a new project or a unit that has set itself the goal of becoming more agile or focusing more on the customer could be suitable for this. However, an area in transition is just as suitable if, for example, the IT department is to become more digital and agile. Here, the first steps towards a "triumvirate" in the sense of the Shared LeaderShift© model can be tested.
What should be considered during the test phase as an experiment?
Before starting the experiment, the objectives and KPIs that measure the success of the approach - based on the existing management model - are of course first defined. They should therefore be defined together with all stakeholders. This also applies to the "experimental setup" and the design of the implementation of the triumvirate.
Of course, it would be particularly exciting to set up the experiment in such a way that there are two comparison groups. One group works according to the existing pattern of classic leadership by one person, i.e. supported, hierarchical-linear leadership, while the other group gains experience with and in the triumvirate.
Another key success factor for concrete implementation is that the pilot team is actively involved in communication from the outset and supports the chosen path. Similarly, only people who can support this approach unconditionally and are prepared to live leadership collaboratively should take on the new leadership roles.
Ideally, the "experiment" should be accompanied by an experienced guide who is also suitably equipped to navigate through crises and resolve potential conflicts. This process support should in turn be documented; an appropriate guide also has useful tools and aids.
Let's assume that the pilot phase has been passed: What are the next steps then??
If you're looking for a little more, we come to the triumvirate in the learning organization. The Shared LeaderShift© model in this context is particularly recommended for companies that have already embarked on the path towards "transformation" and have set themselves the goal of anchoring agility and self-organization in the company. As a rule, they have already Agile formats such as Scrum or Design Thinking in use. At the same time, they note that sustainable success and change have not yet materialized.
The introduction of the triumvirate takes up structures that have already been implemented. By sharpening the roles of the product owner in the sense of a "Customer & Value Leaders" and the Scrum Master in the sense of the "Team & Performance Leaders" focuses on action in both dimensions. The "People and Culture Leader" complements a role in management that was previously underrepresented from the perspective of employees and cooperation partners.
Introducing the triumvirate as a management model presupposes that all those involved already share a common understanding of this management approach. A new governance model must now be created for this; this process should be in the hands of a cross-functional team and be carried out jointly with all those involved.
Here, too, we have developed a suitable framework that secures the implementation appropriately: this is probably going too far at this point. I would be happy to report on this separately.
The third option you mentioned was strategic redesign. Is Shared LeaderShift© also suitable as a transformation tool for companies?
"From Purpose to North Star": Strategic re-design is, so to speak, the big one among the implementation approaches. This even more comprehensive approach is particularly interesting for companies that are currently faced with the decision to fundamentally rethink their future and want to fully embrace the transformation.
Basically, this is a fairly new approach that turns traditional strategy work on its head. The focus is no longer on the vision from which the strategy is derived, but on the purpose on which it is based. This approach follows the considerations of Simon Sinek's "Golden Circle". The purpose stands for the "WHY" and forms the basis for all further steps in organizational development. The purpose-finding process is the first step in the strategic re-design and is anchored top-down.
Like the other strategic tasks, this process is in the hands of the complementary role of the "Purpose & Strategy Leaders". As already mentioned, this function is usually performed by a dedicated team, ideally with cross-functional members. The next step is then to derive the "HOW", i.e. the governance of the organization. This is where the foundation is laid, where the company's rules and regulations are drawn up and where values and standards for joint action are anchored.
In a further step, in and with the team "Purpose & Strategy" of the North Star. Where should the journey go? Where is the purpose going? By following the objectives of an agile organization, linear planning cycles are replaced by iterations. In this format, quantitative goals are not defined in detail in advance, but are derived from the strategy.
We advise companies in this mode to start with their "purpose" and to ask themselves what they want to dedicate their existence to and what they want to bring into the world. As with the "learning organization" approach, there is a corresponding framework here.
Well, so much for scalability. What else should companies bear in mind if they want to implement the concept?
The Shared LeaderShift© model will not be able to conquer a company and be successfully implemented there all by itself and without support and/or training. In our considerations here, let's deliberately stick to the actual "triumvirate" for the time being. On the one hand, there is a Qualification of all representatives in two respects:
- They should be supported in developing an appropriate attitude for this new leadership mindset and acquire the necessary knowledge and behaviors that this form of collaboration and joint decision-making requires.
- You should Learning modules They are provided with the knowledge and skills that enable them to perform the roles in an ideal way.
And secondly, the implementation should be supported at an organizational level. In this respect, it makes sense to support the triumvirate's weekly meetings with a coach or facilitator. This ensures the planned process and enables the rules of governance to be adhered to and applied.
This task can initially be performed externally, but can soon be taken on by internal Shared LeaderShift© Agents. For their part, they should be suitably empowered.
The approach we have developed also provides answers to numerous implementation questions, such as how implementation can be ensured through accompanying measures or how company-specific challenges can be overcome in this regard. We would be happy to discuss these answers in more detail in a personal meeting.
Thank you very much, Ms. Wietasch, for these comprehensive insights into how this innovative leadership model can be implemented in practice and which points companies should pay attention to on their path to transformation. We wish you continued success with the implementation and the associated hero's journeys!
The interview with Barbara Wietasch was conducted by the TCI editorial team.
Editor's note: Also read the previous parts of the interview series!
- Part one: How management models have developed: Quo vadis, employee leadership?
- Part two: Motivating employees to perform at their best: Is this necessary and possible?
- Part three: The approach behind the Shared-LeaderShift©: a new sow in the village?
- Part four: Leadership redefined: How Shared-LeaderShift works in the company and leadership tasks are properly distributed
- Part five: Agility despite hierarchy: from traditional leadership thinking to new heroes in the triumvirate.
About your authors
Barbara Wietasch is a Master of Advanced Studies (MAS) in personnel and organizational development and has been passionate about supporting people, teams and organizations in change for more than 20 years, as a coach, trainer and consultant. Her roots are in sales & marketing. This is why she always focuses on people - i.e. internal and external customers - in all organizational changes. In her work, she fundamentally assumes that systems carry the solution within themselves and are knowledgeable. On the journey to "New Work", she sees herself as a bridge builder on various levels.
Eva-Maria Danzer has been a specialist for people and organizations in transition for more than 25 years. She is the managing director of "The Company Journey Guides", a company for corporate development in Munich with over 20 employees. They see themselves as development companions for organizations on their own journey. They work internationally, particularly in four focus areas: Mindset first, Leader-Shift, Hero Customer, Zeitgeist Learning & Organizational Development.
(Cover image: © goodluz | stock.adobe.com)
