Leading through COMMUNITY is integral to polycentric leadership. In the fellowship and family-like atmosphere of serving together, leaders gain perspective and insight from one another and are better able to function through checks and balances, holding each other to higher standards and modeling the collective behaviors they seek to engender toward fulfilling their mutual vision and mission. Collaborators become a community, establishing a contract where vision is shared so they can function as a team.

Leaders that work with others in community bring change to their various networks; they foster an environment that has the momentum to go farther together. As the teams work together, comradery builds, vision coalesces, and action begins to take shape.

Example

Pat Gelsinger, CEO of VM Ware, models this well. Aditya Krishnan describes Gelsinger’s approach:

“A good leader listens. They listen with an open mind to their peers, employees and most importantly their customers… and… a good leader links effectively by building great relationships. They also ensure their employees work well together as a team.”

How can I grow as a communal, polycentric leader?

Do you seek to foster community, drawing from the rich resources that surround you, walking deeply together as friends living out your company mission?

More Information

• Photo by Ben Preater on Unsplash