Gathering Ground: Co-leadership - A New Division of Labor

According to a survey administered by CompassPoint and the Meyers Foundation, 70% of the 3,000 nonprofit executives surveyed reported feelings of isolation, with 67% anticipating an exit in five years or less.

With collaboration and community being at the top of mind in several professional sectors, it's no wonder that we see co-leadership models emerging more often. From tech companies to foundations to nonprofits, pairs and even trios of people are starting to lead organizations in partnership. Sharing the emotional and tangible work of being an Executive Director or CEO can be invaluable, not to mention presenting an opportunity to create a more realistic division of labor at the top level.

In this episode of Gathering Ground, Mary welcomes co-leaders from three different organizations to the podcast. They discuss the successes and pitfalls of co-leadership models, how their organizations took steps to break free from the single-leader hierarchy, and what they’ve learned from each other during their time as partners in leadership.

On this episode:

Sean Thomas-Breitfeld
Co-Director, Building Movement Project

Julia McGuire + Kate Roosevelt
Co-Presidents, Campbell & Company

Jennifer Arwade + Raul Botello
Co-Executive Directors, Communities United