Nine characteristics of connective leadership

Old, autocratic, command-and-control forms of leadership are untenable in an increasingly integrated and changing environment. Connective leadership is about searching for commonalities and common ground with the aim of forming successful, effective communities, businesses and organisations.

If you are a connective leader or would like to be one - read the following characteristics of a connective leader!

Connective leaders: 

1. Can emerge in any layer of an organisation or business, can be self-employed or part of a community.
2. See the connections among different people, ideas and institutions, even when the parties do not.
3. Dedicate themselves to the purpose of the group, not to themselves and their own status.
4. Are willing to have every choice and decision scrutinised to achieve accountability.
5. Think long-term, but act short-term.
6. Strive to reach out to long standing adversaries, neighbouring constituencies and competitors.
7. Set aside differences for the bigger benefits that partnership, community and collaboration can bring.
8. Search for meaning. They are keen to change the world for the better and are aware of the bigger picture.
9. Encourage action and deal constructively with interdependence and diversity .

Connective leaders offer us a way forward in these times of community cutbacks, job insecurity and global migration. Accountability to others and trusting relationships are encouraged over a silo mentality and parochial attitudes.

Importance of coaching for connective leaders:

There are leaders in the UK already carving a confident and successful path through the potential pitfalls and barriers to collaborative working. However, new and emerging leaders would benefit from coaching - especially in the early stages. 

There are great benefits for a connective leader to regularly have a one to one session to reflect, plan and act - without this undisturbed space with a professional coach, the expectations of collaborative leadership can be overwhelming.