Companies often struggle with problems that are rooted in outdated management models. What Employee management and -motivation is so difficult these days - and we have already looked at why a new management structure is needed is. In the following part four of the interview with Barbara Wietasch, we take a closer look at the basic concept of the innovative Shared-LeaderShift© leadership model. Specifically, we look at the three roles in the triumvirate: Which leadership roles are to be filled and how? What do the individual areas of responsibility look like, who takes on which leadership tasks? And how can this interaction work at all? Read the answers here.

Rethinking leadership roles: How a targeted division of leadership tasks can succeed - Barbara Wietasch in an interview

Good afternoon Ms. Wietasch, if we say goodbye to the leadership models we have known up to now, but leadership continues to exist: Who will lead then?

At its core, it is no longer just one leader, but several - three in total, to be precise. In the Shared LeaderShift© model, we refer to this core team as a triumvirate.

Let's first take a look at where the term "triumvirate" actually comes from.

We know it from Roman antiquity, where a commission of three was formed to prevent any possible political hullabaloo.

A concept from antiquity should lead the organizations of the future to success?

The consistent division of leadership among three different heads, who in turn provide leadership POWER in collaboration, is a revolution. Above all, it arose from the question: How can a leadership model be designed for the long term in such a way that it sustainably supports the upcoming change from hierarchical silo thinking to networks and cells? This is where the triumvirate comes into play as a new organizational form. It means leading by dividing responsibility between functions and people who each embody a clear role and act cooperatively as individuals, teams and the organization as a whole.

The triumvirate ensures that everything that influences the success of an organization from the management side is comprehensively represented. At the same time, it avoids the contradictions that arise when one person takes on several roles, such as that of demanding and promoting.

Scrum was the inspiration for the development of this idea, and perhaps also the Spotify model. In it, we learned about the value that lies in the consistent separation of tasks and responsibilities. Ultimately, the Shared Leader Shift© model definitely has a lot in common with Scrum. For example, the consistent alignment of the triumvirate with a "manifesto": We would call it the governance of the triumvirate or the understanding of the power of the team. And at the same time, it goes far beyond Scrum.

So it's about roles rather than people. What is the difference in your approach?

That's right, we are talking about roles instead of people. This is because roles can be filled with any number of people with expertise. In our view, the management roles involved are

• Customer & Value Leader
• Team & Performance Leader
• People & Culture Leader.

A key difference is that these roles can be filled in different ways: by traditional managers from the specialist departments, by experts from a cross-functional or end-to-end team and also on a rolling basis. The latter is actually the shift.

Well, these roles are probably best considered one after the other. Let's stick with your order: What does the "Customer & Value Leader" do?

The role of the "Customer & Value Leaders" is new and would be most comparable to the Product Owner from Scrum. However, it should be understood in a broader sense. This management function defines the wishes and concerns as well as the benefit requirements from the customer's perspective. On the other hand, it evaluates the team's performance, sets requirements for iterations and approves the "work". Together with the role of the "Team & Performance Leaders" puts the "Customer & Value Leader" defines the "specifications", the "metrics" and the budget for the provision of services. He is available as a sparring partner for clarification requirements and iterations and secures resources. In doing so, he fully represents the customer and acts as the interface to internal and external "customers".

If you were to list the tasks and competencies in detail, what would this to-do list of the "Customer & Value Leader" look like?

In a nutshell, that would be:

• Identifying and representing customer wishes, concerns and needs
• Defining the "specifications" (admittedly an outdated term), in which the quality criteria of the expected performance are defined
• Securing the necessary resources
• Supporting "product development" as a sparring and iteration partner
• The evaluation of performance and acceptance as well as feedback to the service providers.

In principle, the "Customer & Value" Leader can perform this management task for several service areas at the same time. They can also work together with different teams.

Good, so far understood. Let's move on: how is this complemented by the "Team & Performance Leader"?

The role of the "Team & Performance Leaders" also has its roots in Scrum, namely in the Scrum Master. However, it goes beyond that. It could perhaps be described as a combination of Scrum Master and Agile Coach. The "Team & Performance Leader" forms the interface between the team and the "Customer & Value Leader", who in turn represents the customer perspective. It is up to them to coordinate goals and resources with the team and, ideally, to deliver in sprints in terms of time and quality. They keep an eye on the team spirit and ensure compliance with governance. Ideally, he coordinates the team composition. However, they also form the interface to the "People & Culture Leader" and help to ensure that employees experience personal support and development as individuals.

If we wanted to put together a list of tasks again, what would they be for the "Team & Performance Leader"?

As a short list:

• Focusing the task for the team
• Ensuring the provision of services in "time and quality"
• Support in the formulation of sprints within a performance period
• Supporting and challenging the team
• Securing the team spirit.

In conclusion: What does the "People & Culture Leader" do when these two actually already cover all the management tasks we know today?

The "People & Culture Leader" as the third hero in the bunch is something we look for in vain in Scrum or other agile approaches. It is more inspired by "leadership", or to be more precise, "servant leadership". However, this is a role with a broader focus. It is designed to individually support the interests of the personal situation and development of each individual member of an organization, i.e. an employee at all levels. It also initiates and shapes the "People & Culture" strategy. This role should be completely free of any evaluation of the individual and focus solely on their development. Personal coaching, support for individual growth and the optimization of individual working conditions are the tasks of this role.

So once again, what does the role of "People & Culture Leader" cover?

In brief, these are the following points:

• Individual support for individual employees
• Coaching and empowerment
• Supporting the individual in their personal development/career
• Mediation and conflict management
• Design of feel good and happiness measures
• Design for culture and learning.

We see this role for HR - possibly for a completely new type of HR. After all, it takes the strategic lead for the corporate culture and the people in the organization as a whole.

The basic prerequisite for the successful division of management between these three roles is the governance mentioned above. This means that a governance or guideline model must be developed and implemented that is consistently adhered to from then on.

Thank you very much, Ms. Wietasch, for these exciting remarks and this precise analysis of the three roles in the triumvirate of the Shared LeaderShift© concept. We look forward to part five of the interview!

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: Shared-LeaderShift© and what's behind it: a new sow in the village?

Part five can be found here: Sustainable transformation tool for companies: Experiences with Shared LeaderShift©

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: © georgerudy | stock.adobe.com)