Ideally, in a vision of shared power, you will find empowerment, collaboration, inclusivity, flexibility, personal growth, and innovation. And of course, there’s a strong appetite for creating environments where everyone feels valued, trusted, and capable of contributing meaningfully to collective goals.
But what are concrete results of places that practice shared power?
Our ongoing research about the power structures, mindsets, assumptions and human mechanisms that enable equitable power sharing, shows us we can create an environment that leads to positive outcomes such as innovation, effective decision-making, personal fulfilment, and collective success.
At the start of all of this are careful considerations about how people communicate, how the organisation is structured and scaffolded to allow for psychological freedom and boldness. You can’t have “Double Binds” (1).
When power sharing is done step by step, with an accountability system, and overtime, you will find specific benefits:
Collective Success
Our research respondents talk about “Winning the game”. This symbolizes achieving collective success through effective power-sharing processes. It reflects the idea that shared power leads to better outcomes for the group as a whole.
Innovation and Good Practice
When diverse voices contribute, exchange equitably, and also welcome other people’s perspectives, full of nuances and useful information, this leads to shared innovation and the establishment of good practices within organisations.
Effective Decision-Making
Teams that are empowered teams with trust and agency make more effective and efficient decisions, benefiting the organisation as a whole. The organisation turns into a “Welcoming” structure where risks and responsibilies are distributed.
Personal Growth and Connection
Individuals feel invigorated, working “in flow” from a place of abundance. This leads to better connections “in mind, spirit, and soul”, fostering a sense of stewardship and community.
Happiness and Well-being
Sharing power leads to a collaborative environment characterized by transparency. This in turns fosters increased happiness among team members, contributing to overall well-being.
Ambition and Market Exploration
Empowered teams feel free to be more curious and ambitious, and willing to try new impact markets, which can boost organizational growth and success.
So where do you want to start?
Want to read more on “Sharing Power”?
- 13 barriers to equitable power sharing so far…
- Sharing power in organisations, insights from the trenches
(1) Key Features of a Double Bind Situation
- Two or More Conflicting Messages: Individuals are confronted with messages that contradict each other, creating a paradoxical situation where responding to one message negates the other.
- No Escape: The individual is unable to leave the paradoxical situation or address the conflict without facing negative consequences.
- Repeated Experience: This cycle of contradictory messaging is not a one-off; it’s a pattern that repeats itself, reinforcing the double bind.
Hello! I am Servane, founder of Conscious Innovation. As an Imagineer, Time to Think Consultant and Team Coach, I help Impact Leaders and Investors navigate transitions and adapt to changing times, by turning insights into positive and impactful action.
