Explicating strategic shared leadership process

Abstract

PurposeThe concept of Shared Leaders (one or more leaders) leading an organization is gaining grounds both in the world of theory and practice. The aim of this article is to attempt to comprehend the process of the shared leadership at a strategic level of a firm, it can be called “Strategic Shared Leadership Process (SSLP)”.Design/methodology/approachResponses from 257 middle level managers were collected by a closed ended structured survey questionnaire. A total of ten variables were identified from literature to study SSLP. The data were analyzed using AMOS 16 for Structured Equation Modeling.FindingsThree models emerged from the study. In the first model, significant positive relationship between Leaders' Organizational Legitimacy (LOL), Leaders' Informal Authority Base (LIAB) and Leaders' Domain Knowledge (LDK) with Leaders' Joint Accountability (LJA) and Leaders' Non‐Financial Decision making (LOFD) was found. In the second model significant negative relationship between followers' years of work experience and Leaders' Organizational Change Decision (OCD) and positive relationship between OCD and Leaders' Organizational Visioning (LOV) was found. For the third model, significant positive relationship between length of Co‐work Association (LCWA) and Leaders' Voice Equity (LVE) with Leaders' Organizational Financial Decision Making (LOFD) was present.Research limitations/implicationsThe three models developed in the study to understand SSLP made theoretical contribution.Practical implicationsOrganizational Development practitioners can use the study output as the intervention inputs during establishing SSLP in their firm.Originality/valueThis is one of the first empirical studies on SSLP.