The Modern Leadership Issue - 12

Unlearning Independent Leadership,
Learning to Load Share
by Ankit Shah and Dustin Shell
Humans are wired to be with others we trust.
The more we can depend on those around us to have our backs
and meet our needs, the more independent and capable we
become. It's known as the dependency paradox.
Yet many organizations' practices, mindsets, and cultural norms
are based on the notion of a strong leader who doesn't need
others to be effective; one who doesn't need close relationships
for high performance to happen. There is growing interest and
commitment to unlearning aspects of the heroic independent
leader in favor of a new kind of leadership model:
interdependent leadership.
The evidence for interdependent leadership is staggering-
recent findings by Jim Coan (Social Baseline Theory), Paul
Zak (Trust Factor), and even U.S. Surgeon General Dr. Vivek
Murthy (Together) show that humans thrive in environments
where we feel connected to the people around us in a way
that allows us to belong as our authentic selves. It sounds
so obvious for some, and for others it can sound way too
unrealistic for the workplace.
Pause for a moment and reflect...
Do you trust the people you work closely
with? Do you believe they have your best
interests at heart? If something went
wrong, would they have your back?
Do you feel safe to be yourself at work
around these people? Would they accept
every part of you if you let it out at work?
Could you sing a song at your next
meeting? Wear your favorite flip flops?
Dance like no one is watching? Share
your most personal beliefs? Speak openly
about your concerns or struggles?
The Modern Leadership Issue

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of The Modern Leadership Issue
