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Abstract
Informal or distributed leadership roles, where employees are expected to lead with influence and not authority, are becoming more commonplace, yet organizations have not fully mastered how to develop those in these unique leadership situations. The present action research study investigates how a trades organization within a higher education setting implemented Gronn’s (2002) distributed leadership framework to empower both informal and formal leaders to improve organizational outcomes. The purpose of this study was explore ways to support individuals dealing with adaptive challenges associated with distributed leadership in the trades. The following research questions were explored: (1) What is learned at an individual, group, and system level that advances distributed leadership theory and practice in an action research project within the trades?
(2) How can the knowledge gained at each of these levels be utilized to grow the capacity of informal leaders in the trades and the collective capacity of the department or unit to create a culture for distributed leadership to be enacted?
The present action research will provide a unique insight into what organizational structures and leadership capabilities are required to prepare those who lead with influence in an underexplored context. Overall, the present study found the use of Heifetz and Linsky’s (2002) adaptive strategies effective in implementing a distributed leadership structure. Furthermore, a culture of learning, shared expectations, and a clear vision create the conditions for distributed leadership to be practiced.
Keywords: action research, distributed leadership, adaptive leadership, informal leadership trades, higher education