In times of crisis, organizations often turn to tried-and-true leadership models to navigate turbulent waters. However, research by collaboration expert Barbara Gray suggests that making space for unconventional leaders and ideas may be the key to resilience and transformation. Gray’s multi-stakeholder partnership model, which emphasizes the power of diverse perspectives and emergent solutions, offers valuable lessons for organizations seeking to thrive in the face of disruption.
The Limits of Conventional Leadership in Crisis
Conventional wisdom holds that crises demand strong, decisive leadership. The archetypal crisis leader takes command, rallies the troops, and charges forward with a clear vision. While this approach can provide short-term stability and direction, it often fails to address the complex, systemic nature of modern crises. As Gray notes, many of today’s challenges – from climate change to social inequity – are “wicked problems” that defy simple solutions. They span organizational and sectoral boundaries, involving diverse stakeholders with competing interests. Attempting to address these issues through top-down, siloed leadership is like trying to solve a Rubik’s cube one side at a time – you might create temporary order, but the larger problem remains unresolved.
The Power of Partnership and Emergence
Gray’s research offers an alternative path. Her multi-stakeholder partnership model brings together diverse parties – often with a history of conflict – to collectively address shared challenges. Rather than relying on a single, heroic leader, these partnerships harness the wisdom of the group, allowing innovative solutions to emerge through dialogue and experimentation. Key to the success of these partnerships is creating space for unconventional voices and ideas. Gray emphasizes the importance of “boundary-spanning leadership” that can bridge divides and facilitate communication across differences. This requires leaders who are comfortable with ambiguity, able to relinquish control, and skilled at creating containers for constructive conflict. Critically, Gray’s model suggests that the most transformative solutions often come from the margins – from the unconventional thinkers who challenge the status quo. In a crisis, when business-as-usual has failed, these are the voices we most need to hear. Yet too often, they are silenced by the very leadership structures meant to guide us through disruption.
Cultivating Unconventional Leadership
For organizations seeking to build resilience in the face of crisis, Gray’s work offers several key lessons:
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Embrace diversity: Actively seek out and include diverse perspectives, especially those that challenge conventional thinking. Create leadership teams and advisory boards that reflect the full range of stakeholders impacted by your work.
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Flatten hierarchies: Decentralize decision-making and create channels for bottom-up innovation. Empower frontline staff and stakeholders to experiment with new approaches, and create feedback loops to rapidly integrate learning.
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Foster psychological safety: Create a culture where it is safe to take risks, voice dissent, and fail forward. Model vulnerability and inclusivity from the top, and provide support for teams to navigate the emotional challenges of change.
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Develop boundary-spanning leaders: Invest in leadership development that builds skills in collaboration, facilitation, and systems thinking. Reward leaders who are able to bridge divides and foster collective intelligence.
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Let go of control: Embrace the power of emergence, trusting that solutions will arise through the collective wisdom of the group. Focus on creating the conditions for self-organization and adaptation, rather than trying to dictate outcomes.
Leading Into an Uncertain Future
As we face a future of increasing complexity and disruption, Gray’s partnership model offers a hopeful vision for resilient, adaptive organizations. By embracing unconventional leadership and the power of emergence, we can tap into the collective intelligence needed to navigate uncharted territory.
The road ahead will not be easy. Letting go of familiar leadership models and embracing the unknown requires courage and humility. But as Gray’s research demonstrates, it is only by coming together across boundaries – and making space for the unconventional – that we can hope to build a thriving future for all. The question is not whether your organization can afford to embrace this approach, but whether it can afford not to.
…leading into an uncertain future.
References:
- Gray, B. (1989). Collaborating: Finding common ground for multiparty problems. Jossey-Bass.
- Gray, B., & Purdy, J. (2018). Collaborating for our future: Multistakeholder partnerships for solving complex problems. Oxford University Press.
- Kahane, A. (2017). Collaborating with the enemy: How to work with people you don’t agree with or like or trust. Berrett-Koehler Publishers.
- Edmondson, A. C. (2018). The fearless organization: Creating psychological safety in the workplace for learning, innovation, and growth. John Wiley & Sons.
- Wheatley, M. J. (2006). Leadership and the new science: Discovering order in a chaotic world. Berrett-Koehler Publishers.