Introducing a Distributed Leadership approach in a publishing organisation

As part of this programme, I designed and facilitated a workshop for the senior leadership team to explore their current reality, identify their hopes and fears and their beliefs about their power to act. There were historical sensitivities to take into account and many of the team were uncomfortable sharing feelings and motives, retreating to task issues at the beginning of the day. As our workshop was in one of the Oxford colleges, I invited them to take a walk around the college and grounds and notice what took their attention and consider how this could work as a metaphor for the business and/or their work. This worked as a catalyst to thinking in a more holistic and personal way about their team, the company, and the wider world.    I subsequently used an appreciative inquiry process to identify what they needed to retain from their current reality and to create an exciting proposition for the future. The day ended with each participant receiving appreciative, personal feedback from the rest of the team. This OD project is still in progress.