Distributed leadership
Distributed leadership is not delegation. It is about sharing power, roles and responsibilities. One of the services participating in the Centres of Innovation (COI) programme, Te Kopae Piripono, elaborates on this notion by assigning four types of responsibilities:
- Having responsibility (Te Whai Takohanga) – having designated roles and responsibilities
- Being responsible (Te Mauri Takohanga) – professional conduct, being ethical, honest and open to different perspectives
- Taking responsibility (Te Kawe Takohanga) – taking risks and challenging oneself, being innovative and trying new ways of being and doing
- Sharing responsibility (Te Tuku Takohanga) – relationships, collegiality, respect, understanding, and acceptance of differences
How will distributed leadership look in practice?
- A non-judgemental climate that allows for sharing of knowledge
- Respect and reciprocity to others’ points of view
- Acknowledgment of diverse views and perspectives
- A trusting relationship among staff that will promote risk taking and provision of constructive feedback.
For further discussion on distributed leadership read Massey Childcare Centre’s final COI report.