Implementing shared leadership to navigate transitions

Contributed by: Danielle Griffin and Pamela Uppal-Sandhu, Co-Executive Directors at ONN

As the nonprofit sector endures ongoing changes in their environment, we’re being called on to work in new ways. Reimagining Leadership is a project exploring what the future possibilities are for leadership in the nonprofit sector by engaging with those who are approaching it in bold, and diverse ways.

For over a decade, ONN has been a pillar in the provincial nonprofit community, working with and for the 58,000 nonprofits, charities, and grassroots organizations in Ontario. When our founding Executive Director (ED), Cathy Taylor moved to another opportunity in 2024, we recognized the chance to experiment, and try something new. So, while the organization searched for a permanent ED, we took on an interim co-ED model.

We were already in senior leadership capacities as Director of Strategic Communications and Initiatives and Director of Policy, so we blended our complimentary skills and expertise to keep things running smoothly. Though initially planned as a four-month stopgap solution, we’re still going strong 18 months in.

Double the leadership, double the expertise

When a longstanding leader like Cathy departs, it presents a natural opportunity to transform and adapt to new ways of working. Though different to what the organization was used to, this approach made a lot of sense with our extensive resumes in the nonprofit and public sectors. Plus, we get along really well!

Sharing the interim ED role was a “must” for us. Senior leadership can be isolating. It can lead to burnout. A lot of the folks in the sector are women, and from equity-deserving and equity-denied communities that are already facing systemic barriers to enter leadership roles. Being mindful of this, we knew that taking a co-leadership approach was the right path forward for us. We also knew that we would each still be leading our respective roles in the organization, with an already small team.

Yet, we didn’t have a blueprint for this leadership approach. So, we wrote up three tenets for us to lead by: meet every day, designate a mediator for when we need to ask for help, and do what’s best for the organization, always. This has helped us to come to quick consensus or navigate challenges efficiently. And it’s been successful for ONN. We are not just surviving but advancing and adapting our vital work while navigating some big social, economic, and political changes. This has shown us — and the rest of the sector — that untraditional forms of leadership are viable even if that means thinking outside the box. 

Crucially, reimagining leadership can help nonprofits retain staff, an increasing challenge in the sector. Talented passionate leaders are leaving nonprofits — and maybe sharing the load can help retain these incredible people while providing stability during transitions.

Building nimble nonprofits with co-leadership

We were able to transition into a co-leadership model thanks in large part to everyone around us. We’ve been lucky to have the support from our board, our staff, and our network to continue the work we do, and ensure that ONN thrives during this time.

As there have been seismic shifts in society, politics, and the way people are working, right now is the right time to explore different ways of leading. As co-EDs, we’re able to focus on our strengths and commit to creativity, innovation, and experimentation with new solutions to rising needs in the sector. For curious leaders out there, you won’t know what works for your organization unless you try. Maybe co-leadership is the style you’ve been looking for.

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