Distributive Leadership

Key idea

The distributive leader intentionally shares roles and responsibilities in order to free up time or to deliver faster results.

Book to Read

Distributed Leadership

by James P. Spillane (2006)

Quick take from the book

There are three main elements in the distributive perspective of leadership:

Leadership practice is the central and anchoring concern.
Leadership practice is created through the interaction of its leaders, followers, and specific situations. Each of these elements is of critical importance for the practice of distributive leadership
The situation is defined by leadership practice but the situation also defines leadership practice as it shapes how leadership should be distributed and it is affected by the strategic distributive structure chosen.

Quote of Note

“A distributed perspective is first and foremost about leadership practice. This practice is framed…as a product of the joint interactions of [school] leaders, followers and aspects of their situation. This distributed view of leadership, shifts the focus from…formal and informal leaders to a web of leaders, followers, and their situations which give form to leadership practice.” – From his book Distributed Leadership by James P. Spillane