Leading learning and innovation in organizations: a distributed leadership perspective

Abstract

Purpose

This paper explores the role of distributed leadership for learning and innovation in organizations. Learning and innovation being collective interactive processes, individual leadership is not the most effective way to drive them. This paper discusses how developing a distributed approach to leadership can be useful in enhancing the effectiveness of these processes, particularly in the current context of dispersed and remote working spurred by the pandemic.

Design/methodology/approach

This paper draws on literature from the domains of leadership and learning to discuss how effectiveness of learning and innovation can be enhanced through the application of appropriate leadership models.

Findings

This paper brings out the importance of developing a distributed leadership approach to enhance learning and innovation in organizations. It provides actionable suggestions that can be used by organizations to develop shared leadership capabilities.

Originality/value

Moving away from traditional leadership models, this paper highlights the significant role that distributed leadership can play to enhance the effectiveness of collective processes such as learning and innovation. The approach is even more relevant in the current pandemic context where organizations are operating in a distributed setup with flexible work from home arrangements. Learning and innovation in such virtual, asynchronous work arrangements is a challenge. Development of distributed leadership mindset and approach can enable organizations to operate more effectively in the new normal.

Citation

Tandon, A. (2022), "Leading learning and innovation in organizations: a distributed leadership perspective", Development and Learning in Organizations, Vol. 36 No. 2, pp. 5-7. https://doi.org/10.1108/DLO-05-2021-0087