Co-creating the future together, takes time and is a key skill of shared and collaborative leadership. To support this action, it was agreed at the Executive Leadership Group for Infants, Children and Young People, that members of this group would complete a basic survey to identify current strengths and challenges in working together in a collaborative way and identify opportunities for shared learning and development to support this move towards improved collaborative working.
Collaborative leadership is not a panacea for all complex issues facing children's services, but it is a necessary and valuable approach that requires a clear purpose, a trusting environment, a shared identity, a balanced power distribution, a constructive conflict management, and a shared decision-making process.
Collaborative leadership actively promotes the need for leaders to switch from a focus solely on individual sovereignty to one of shared stewardship. A collaborative leader can be defined as someone who can create a safe, inclusive and trusting environment in which all can contribute fully and openly to achieving an agreed shared goal.
The importance of a strong internal team environment to promote collaborative leadership has been recognised, with this environment being characterised by a shared purpose, social support, voice and team trust. Successful collaborative action is driven by relationships and transpires when vision and values are aligned with leaders showing that they are putting the needs of those they serve and the needs of the local population ahead of any personal or organisational interests is critical.
