In my research, I explored leadership at all levels. Complexity leadership and complex adaptive systems emerged as relevant themes.
Complexity leadership theory says that leadership is not synonymous with seniority. It says that leaderships sits with different people at different times, depending on what the organisation needs.
If you think about the leadership roles emergency planners, epidemiologists and infection control specialists have played in the pandemic, you will see how they’ve led organisations in ways they wouldn’t have before.
With leadership comes power. When you think of leadership at all levels, it seems logical to consider that power sits at all levels too.
Leadership has the power to be kind, generous, protective, controlling, mean, nasty and dangerous. The leadership continuum ranges from good to bad but along that continuum power may be equally strong from one end to the other. Good and bad, power and weakness do not follow along the same continuum.
Consider who in your organisation leads with good power and what level of the organisation they are at. Leadership and good power can be found in the most unexpected of places. Have a look around next week and see where leadership and power sits in your organisation