In an increasingly challenging and unpredictable professional landscape, leaders are often being asked to balance an impossibly broad set of responsibilities. A shared leadership model promises a more sustainable path forward – yet many organizations and individuals stumble when they attempt to implement this more collaborative approach.  In this webinar, we discover what research tells us about the behavior patterns that can block shared leadership and potentially reduce leadership effectiveness. Learn how to recognize these risk factors and how you can coach leaders to work through these challenges to support and embrace a shared approach to leadership.

1. Breaking Down the Barriers to Shared
Leadership
Maria Brown | Head of Research, MRG
David Ringwood | VP of Client Development, EMEA, MRG

2. Host
Lucy Sullivan
Head of Marketing, MRG
For questions:
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» Slides
» Recording
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3. Management Research Group is a global
leader in designing assessments that foster a
deep self-awareness and impact people in
profound and meaningful ways with
solutions for Leadership, Personal
Development, Sales and Service.
MRG conducts extensive research on
effective leadership behavior, leveraging a
database of more than 1.2 million
assessment participants.
David Ringwood
VP of Client Development,
EMEA
Maria Brown, PhD
Head of Research, MRG

4. Agenda: Breaking Down the Barriers to Shared Leadership
1. The importance of Shared Leadership: Why do
we encourage it?
2. Recognizing the barriers to Shared Leadership
3. Working with leaders to reduce barriers

5. Poll
How important is the topic of shared leadership to your clients and their organizations?
A. A top priority
B. Important
C. Minimally important
D. Not sure

6. [Footer text to come] Page No 6
The Power of Shared
Leadership
Why give Shared Leadership the green light?

7. What do we expect
from leaders?
A lot...

8. Communicate well
Provide good feedback
Individual contributor
responsibilities
Sensitivity
(no more yelling)
Develop direct reports
Do more with less
Innovate
Manage change
Deliver more results
Handle complexity
MORE individual
contributor responsibilities
Executive
presence
Coaching
Diversity & inclusion
VUCA
Agile
leadership
Global
leadership
Employee
Engagement
Mindfulness
Resilience
Digital
Leadership

9. Communicate well
Provide good feedback
Individual contributor
responsibilities
Sensitivity
(no more yelling)
Develop direct reports
Do more with less
Innovate
Manage change
Deliver more results
Handle complexity
MORE individual
contributor responsibilities
Executive
presence
Coaching
Diversity & inclusion
VUCA
Agile
leadership
Global
leadership
Employee
Engagement
Mindfulness
Resilience
Digital
Leadership

10. What do we expect
from leaders?
A lot... and the impossibility of it all has only become
more evident in the last 18 months.

11. Shared Leadership has the power to…
Facilitate workplace
changes post-pandemic
Create opportunities for
continued leadership
development
Improve employee
engagement
Harness the power of
diversity

12. How should we practice shared
leadership?
It depends…

13. Context
Matters.

14. What does giving the green light to
shared leadership look like?

15. INVITE
democratic
decision-making
and get input
from others
ASSIST
rather than
compete when
others are more
qualified
PROVIDE
others the
opportunity to do
and learn

16. [Footer text to come] Page No 16
Recognizing the Roadblocks
What new research can tell us about the barriers to
shared leadership

17. The Study

18. Instrument
LEA 360™: the Leadership Effectiveness Analysis
A multi-rater leadership assessment used in more than 100 countries, with
more than 1 million total participants.
Observer Questionnaire
22 leadership behaviors
31 leadership competencies
Self Questionnaire
22 leadership behaviors
3 research questions

19. Researching the 5 Barrier Behaviors:
When over- or under-emphasized, five of the behaviors measured by
the LEA stand in sharp contrast with the spirit of shared leadership.

20. The 5 Barrier Behaviors
High emphasis
on being
competitive,
authoritative,
and forceful
High emphasis
on
making
decisions
independently
and
working
autonomously
Low emphasis on
delegating
and then
giving others
freedom to
learn without
interference
Low emphasis on
helping others
and putting the
team’s interest
first
Low emphasis on
seeking
opinions
from others
and adopting
their ideas,
encouraging
democracy
61st percentile or
higher on SELF
61st percentile or
higher on DOMINANT
40th percentile or lower
on DELEGATION
40th percentile or lower
on COOPERATION
40th percentile or lower
on CONSENSUAL

21. The Research: What can we discover about the 5 Barrier Behaviors?
How common
are the barrier
behaviors in
leaders?
Does having
any of the
barrier
behaviors
reduce
effectiveness?
What behavior
patterns are we
most likely to
see in
“roadblocked”
leaders?
1 2 3

22. The Research: What can we discover about the 5 Barrier Behaviors?
How common
are the barrier
behaviors in
leaders?
1

23. 1 in 4 leaders are at risk for derailing Shared Leadership.
0 barriers
33%
1 barrier
26%
2 barriers
15%
3 barriers
11%
4 barriers
10%
5 barriers
5%
3 or more
barriers
26%
LEADERS AT RISK
3+ BARRIERS

24. The Research: What can we discover about the 5 Barrier Behaviors?
Does having
any of the
barrier
behaviors
reduce
effectiveness?
2

25. Do
barriers
inhibit
leadership
effectiveness?

26. What specific leadership areas are affected by barriers?
When compared to leaders
with fewer barriers,
leaders at risk levels
were consistently less effective
in the following leadership
areas:
Willingness to listen
Straightforward, open communicator
Ability to work with diverse people
Effectively inclusive
Insight into people
Conflict management
Promotes employee engagement
Credibility with peers and direct reports
Displays self-awareness
Capacity to contribute to team performance
Demonstrates ethical leadership
YELLOW
ORANGE
RED

27. The Research: What can we discover about the 5 Barrier Behaviors?
What behavior
patterns are we
most likely to
see in
“roadblocked”
leaders?
3

28. All about me and what I want:
Makes decisions independently,
challenges others, less likely to
accommodate for others.
MOST COMMON
BEHAVIOR
PATTERNS
Commanding from a distance:
Makes decisions independently, less
likely to accommodate for others, less
likely to request and use input from
others.
MOST
COMMON
BEHAVIOR
PATTERN

29. All about me and what I want:
`
MOST COMMON
BEHAVIOR
PATTERNS
Commanding from a distance:
COACHING
TIPS
• Focus on collective decision making
• Adopt a more consultative approach
• Foster reciprocity
• Think about individual vs team priorities

30. Competitive Lone Operator:
Makes decisions independently,
challenges others, less likely to
accommodate for others, less likely
to request and use input from
others.
MOST COMMON
BEHAVIOR
PATTERN
MOST
COMMON
BEHAVIOR
PATTERN

31. Competitive Lone Operator:
COACHING
TIPS
Previous coaching suggestions PLUS
• Adopt a less forceful approach
• Focus on bringing people with you, i.e.
pull versus push

32. Makes all the decisions and
does all the work:
Makes decisions independently,
challenges others, less likely to
accommodate for others, less likely to
request and use input from others,
less likely to delegate fully.
MOST
COMMON
BEHAVIOR
PATTERN

33. Makes all the decisions
and does all the work:
COACHING
TIPS
Previous coaching suggestions PLUS
• Communicate clear expectations
• Delegate more actively
• Supervise thereafter selectively

34. Questions
& Comments

35. [Footer text to come] Page No 35
Removing the Road Blocks
Coaching to reduce the barriers to shared leadership

36. How do you coach a roadblocked
leader to give shared leadership the
green light?

37. To break down barriers to shared leadership….
Coach
leaders to
look beneath
the surface.
Understanding the needs of others is critical to
shared leadership success.
Be aware.
Read the room.
Avoid going on autopilot.
Observe the people you work with.

38. To break down barriers to shared leadership….
Coach
leaders to
look beneath
the surface.
Consider what motivates your colleagues.
Do they want to hear…
the rationale?
clear instructions?
desired outcomes?
Assess the needs of those around you, and meet
them on their terms.

39. To break down barriers to shared leadership….
Coach
leaders to be
self-aware &
know their
biases.
Recognize that no one is truly objective.
We all have mindsets and make assumptions that
impact how we react to those around us.
Learn about your biases and begin to recognize
the difference between intentional and automatic
behavior.

40. Understand the risks…
Coach them
to keep the
confidence.
Our research indicates that leaders who struggle
with shared leadership are effective at conveying
confidence.
They can retain their confidence while working to
better support shared leadership.
Watch for the “Coaching for Self-Confidence”
crib sheet in your follow-up materials.

41. Remember: start small and specific.
Minor behavior changes can build on each
other.
Every change takes leaders further down the
road to shared leadership.

42. Questions
& Comments

43. On the Way….
 Slides
 Recording
 Blog: Webinar Wrap-Up plus Q&A
 Resources

44. Upcoming Events with MRG
Certifications
Webinars
LEA 360™
Starts September 28
IDI™
Starts October 26
Look before you Leap: Taking a Thoughtful Approach
to Career Transitions
October 21
Stepping Up: Coaching Leaders to Go to the Next
Level
November 11
Workshops*
Leveling Up: Coaching Leaders to
Succeed as they Move from
Middle to Senior Management
May 27

45. [Footer text to come] Page No 45
Thank you.
Stay in touch.
research@mrg.com