How Effective Shared Leadership Supersedes Holding the Knowledge Wolf by the Ears Management - A Cognitive-collective Approach to Overcome Three Major Tensions Inherent in the Knowledge-based View

Referenz

Bildstein, I., & Güldenberg, S. (2012). How Effective Shared Leadership Supersedes Holding the Knowledge Wolf by the Ears Management - A Cognitive-collective Approach to Overcome Three Major Tensions Inherent in the Knowledge-based View. Paper presented at the 12th European Academy of Management Conference: Social Innovation for Competitiveness, Organizational Performance and Human Excellence, Rotterdam School of Management, Erasmus University, Rotterdam, The Netherlands.

Publikationsart

Beitrag in Konferenztagungsband

Abstract

Our conceptual paper detects three major tensions within the knowledge-based view of the firm. We take a psychological lens on the topic and show how this perspective can restore the outlined theoretical shortcomings. A pivotal point is that vertically leading isolated knowledge workers is not conductive to psychologically safe knowledge flow within the firm. Having a look on how effective shared leadership takes place in the expert collective, on the contrary, is decisive for emergence of a learn-friendly culture. This is due to the fact that when it‘s safe to tell some inconvenient truth, followers` constructive feedback gains significant authority to retroactively lead the incumbent clan leader. Our approach is cognitive-collective, because it highlights the importance of regular self-reflection about inter-group-relations to manage for experts` having benevolent attitudes toward peers and supervisors. Engraving this mindset in daily routines and effectively communicating it to external stakeholders turns knowledge-based firms into expert-magnets.

Forschung

Mitarbeiter

• PD Dr. habil. Stefan Güldenberg
• Dr. rer. oec. Ingo Erich Bildstein

Einrichtungen

• Institut für Entrepreneurship
• Lehrstuhl für Internationales Management