Collaboration Does Not Equal Consensus

In their article “Are You A Collaborative Leader?” (Harvard Business Review, July 2011) Herminia Ibarra and Morten Hansen define Collaborative Leadership as the “capacity to engage people and groups outside one’s formal control and inspire them to work toward common goals – despite difference in convictions, cultural values and operating norms.” These authors differentiate a “Consensus-based” leadership style where all parties in a small group have equal authority, from the Collaborative style where the people leading the collaborative effort have clear authority to make final decisions.

Their point is that Collaborative Leaders retain a strong role in directing teams. They maintain organizational agility by forming and disbanding teams as opportunities come and go. Collaborative leaders also pay close attention to the composition of the team and don’t hesitate to keep the team fresh by adding or changing players.

Readers of the 8 Dimensions of Leadership might assume that Collaborative Leader have an Inclusive personality style. In our research, Inclusive Leaders were found to prioritize and value harmony, acceptance and dependability. They are careful to include all stakeholders in dialogue before moving ahead with major decisions, and because they value accommodation, they may struggle to make timely decisions. Thus the Inclusive Leader is more consistent with Ibarra and Hansen’s Consensus-based style of leadership. As the authors point out Consensus Leadership works well in small groups with formally designated members who contribute relevant and equal expertise. This type of group structure is deliberative by design: it is not optimal when speed is important.

So what makes a Collaborative Leader? The authors view the best collaboration as coming from dispersed and diverse individuals who bring unique perspective and question new ideas while firmly committed to achieving shared goals in a relatively short period of time. The best collaborative teams are goal-focused, dynamic, non-political, and relatively short-lived. In our model, Pioneering Leaders who are comfortable taking risk, delegating decision rights and capable of communicating goals without needing to control the specific implementation are particularly well suited to drive collaborative initiatives.

These leaders are comfortable crossing boundaries, questioning status-quo, and when necessary making the final call. This type of group structure is entrepreneurial by design and works well when innovation and creativity are necessary.

Understanding the differences betwee
Collaborative and Consensus-based organizational structures and the different Leadership Dimensions required for each will help the organization realize the true value that each approach can bring. For more information visit at our online disc store