Claire Antrobus – leadership coach, facilitator and trainer – gives us a fascinating insight into co-leadership roles such as joint CEOs. She also shares the resources to help you recruit and work with co-leaders.
Running and governing a non-profit organisation is increasingly demanding. The impact of COVID-19 on organisational finances and staff wellbeing, as well as increasingly complex stakeholder relationships and the rapid pace of social and technological change, mean the range of expertise, networks and sheer energy required often feel like a job for more than one person.
These intense demands impact all CEOs. But they particularly affect those with caring responsibilities, health issues, or disabilities. Working as a leadership coach and trainer with various non-profit leadership programmes, I regularly encounter brilliant leaders who choose not to apply for roles they consider unrealistic and inflexible.
Could co-leadership roles increase leadership diversity?
For over a decade, I’ve been wondering whether co-leadership could help us attract and retain a wider range of applicants. Then last year, thanks to a research grant from the Arts and Humanities Research Council and Clore Leadership, I was able to look into how co-leadership might enable us to increase the diversity of leadership.
Co-leadership is considered to be a more inclusive model. It is particularly attractive to women, the global majority, and disabled candidates. Click to read a summary of the benefits of co-leadership (pdf).
Barriers to co-leadership
My research included a workforce survey, and interviews with trustees and executive search professionals. It un-earthed some common barriers. These included:
- Lack of understanding of how co-leadership works – including how to recruit into and hold to account leaders in a joint role.
- Preference for full-time leaders.
- Out-of-date recruitment practices, including unrealistic job descriptions.
- Fear that co-leadership was more expensive (my research suggests this is unfounded – most organisations introduced the model with less than 25% increase in salary cost)
Enabling change
In 11 case studies of organisations that had recently adopted the model, I identified what had enabled change. Factors included:
- A commitment to co-leadership roles from the chair, often due to direct experience in other contexts.
- Previous experience with the individual candidates involved.
- Commitment to increasing diversity and collaborative values more widely.
- Failure to recruit on a traditional solo CEO model.
Resources for chairs and boards to explore co-leadership
To support boards in understanding what co-leadership offers and what it involves, I have published a Guide to Co-leadership for Boards – which is available free to download from the Co-leadership Library. The guide contains useful insights, advice and suggestions for considering recruiting joint CEOs.
Your role as chair is crucial in this. You need the capacity to mentor new leaders and to champion the model if other board members, or stakeholders, have concerns about co-leadership.
When it’s not the right choice
Not all boards will be in a position to support co-leadership effectively and it may not be the best option for your organisation. Co-leadership is not a quick fix to more systemic issues around lack of diversity. And it is not an easy option: candidates need a high level of leadership skill to be able to work collaboratively.
Hopefully, the Co-leadership Library will help you make an informed decision and provide some useful resources if you do decide to explore this option with your board.
About our guest author Claire Antrobus
Claire helps create brilliant leadership by developing and diversifying leaders. She encourages more inclusive and collaborative organisational cultures as a leadership coach, facilitator and trainer. Click here to find out more about Claire on her website.
