When two lead together, we, as a team, achieve a multiplier effect.
Narration by author:
An Information Steward team achieves deeper impact when two co-lead. Why limit senior leadership to a single individual? How might we, as an Information Steward team, reach creative decisions with two co-chiefs instead of a single individual in the role of The Boss? When we unrealistically expect senior leaders to possess all manner of skills and experiences, we create an environment for breakage.
Two co-leads contribute their unique and complementary emotional intelligence. The strength of one lead in a given situation corresponds to a different strength of the other co-lead in another setting. One lead might be stronger in empathy and intuition; the other has an uncanny ability to see to root causes of challenging conversations.
Two lead voices, who will always engage the entire team in discussions leading up to a decision, necessarily take on a posture of humility by agreeing to a shared leadership model. Such humility is a prerequisite of each co-lead for accepting a shared leadership role. Stemming from this foundational value of humility, both leads will listen deeply to each other and the entire team. Rich discussion follows as a cultural habit. A set of shared values underpins final decisions agreed upon by the co-leads.
The charismatic leader stereotype runs counter to the values of a diverse, multi-disciplinary, collaborative Information Steward team. Sharing ideas, testing prototypes, accepting differing views, and seeking the flourishing of all team members indicate the decision-making responsibility ought to be shared as well.
When two share responsibilities of leading the team, engaging the board, nurturing clients, or presenting in public, the same individual need not always be "on." Attending to mental health by sharing certain tasks and responsibilities, means one of the leads is recharging the body battery while the other is actively engaged with people or in some type of spotlight.
The entire Information Steward team must agree on a set of norms and cultural habits supporting how the co-leads put into practice the values of shared leadership. With patience and practice, the whole team can embrace this model of leadership.
Listening soundtrack while reading: "It Takes Two" from the Into the Woods musical.
The knowledge of the elders is sometimes written.
As a librarian and knowledge manager, the "Information Steward" moniker grew out of information organization practices in academic libraries and international development nonprofit work. Examining who I am, what I believe, and my habits in vocational environments, I now recognize a broader scope of my work.
Stewarding information across work departments and teams necessitates links, relationships, visibility, and lines of communication at the highest level of the organization. Consequently, Information Steward co-leads will report directly to the organization's leader (CEO, President, Executive Director).