Paired leadership is the way to go in business. Working in pairs, Fishbowl team leaders have been able to come up with creative solutions to big problems, create new products, and maintain the company’s ambitious growth goals.
You can read all about this in a blog post on the Harvard Business Review written by Fishbowl CEO David Williams and President Mary Michelle Scott. It’s entitled “Leadership Teams: Why Two Are Better Than One.” I love how they even exemplified the principle of teamwork in the creation of this post. They worked together to make it happen and to make it better than it would have been if just one of them had written it.
You can read all about this in a blog post on the Harvard Business Review written by Fishbowl CEO David Williams and President Mary Michelle Scott. It’s entitled “Leadership Teams: Why Two Are Better Than One.” I love how they even exemplified the principle of teamwork in the creation of this post. They worked together to make it happen and to make it better than it would have been if just one of them had written it.
Benefits of Paired Leadership
Why would a company want to hire two people to do the same job? Wouldn’t it make more sense to halve your costs by just hiring one? Yes, you could look at it that way. But at Fishbowl, we’ve decided that it’s worth it to invest in multiple leaders for the following reasons:- Balance of Power. When you have someone who you need to agree with to move forward, you have to think harder about your decisions and make sure they not only pass your judgment, but your partner’s. You can also speak up as a counterbalance to your partner’s ideas, if you have something to add or change.
- New Perspective. Sometimes you need a fresh perspective on a situation to see the solution. You may find that your brilliant ideas can be even better if you listen to someone else’s opinions on them. This is how the most innovative products and services come about.
- Smooth Transitions. I’ve heard that a good leader is always grooming his or her successor. When you’re working in a pair, you don’t have to worry about that as much. If your partner suddenly moves up or goes to a different department, you can simply bring another member of your team up to speed and make them a new leader.
- No Downtime. On a more practical note, no one can be at work every single day. You need to take time off for vacations, illnesses, etc. It sure is nice to have someone in the office who can cover for you while you’re away.