Co-leadership can be one of the most effective ways to build resilience in an organisation by distributing leadership responsibilities, fostering diverse perspectives, and reducing reliance on a single individual. With two leaders at the helm, organisations benefit from complementary skill sets, shared decision-making, and mutual support during times of pressure or uncertainty.
This model encourages collaboration and continuity, allowing one director to step in when the other is unavailable or facing challenges, thereby minimising disruption. It can also create a healthier work culture, reducing burnout risk and allowing more time for strategic reflection. When built on trust and clear communication, co-leadership enhances adaptability and long-term sustainability.
Hannah Martin, Co-Executive Director at Green New Deal Rising, reflects on her recent period of maternity leave:
“My ability to be completely present in the first ten months of my journey into parenthood was made possible by Fatima and the model of co-directorship we have built over the last six years. Being able to take focused time off to pursue another dream of mine without it affecting our strategy is just one very small part of that.”
She goes on to say:
“Co-leadership is really one of the best things I’ve been privileged to be a part of and is a structure I think has the potential to form a much more resilient model for progressive leadership in our sector and beyond. This model doesn’t just allow us to step away when we need to; it ensures we can return refreshed, having poured into ourselves and our families, making us stronger leaders. That kind of sustainability isn’t just personal, it’s strategic.”
Fredrick Ouko, Co-CEO of ADD International, shares:
“Our learning about co-leadership at ADD has been that it enabled us to share challenges, make difficult decisions together and steer the organisation through transformational change. We have also learnt that it requires support and resourcing to work well.”
There are still questions and misconceptions about co-leadership, and it is not always the right fit for every individual or organisation. We’ve heard throwaway comments that co-leadership is “doing half the job” or “avoiding accountability.”
At Oxford HR, we remain committed to building the body of knowledge on this topic.
If you are currently in a co-leadership role, we invite you to complete our short questionnaire to support this research.
At the end of the questionnaire, you can also register your interest in joining an informal gathering and discussion session for co-leaders, hosted by Zoe Greenwood, Deputy Director (Europe) at Oxford HR, and Mary Ann Clements, Co-CEO of ADD International.
We will share our findings anonymously later in the year.
