Eschewing Leadership: Why the Era of Fellowship and Team Players is Upon Us

The conventional concept of ‘leadership’ is giving way to a more collective, inclusive ‘fellowship’. Instead of leaders, we need team players, echoing the tenets of Patrick Lencioni’s “The Ideal Team Player”.

Emphasise Listening

Encourage an atmosphere where every voice matters equally, thus promoting a sense of shared responsibility.

Uphold Collective Empowerment

Forego top-down decisions, replacing them with a more democratic approach. Enable everyone to make decisions and contribute ideas. Cf. Auftragstaktik.

Encourage Empathy

Eliminate the hierarchical perspective and adopt a mindset of understanding and appreciation for every individual’s experiences.

Promote Collaboration

Foster an environment that prizes teamwork and shared objectives over individual hegemony.

Champion Humility

Replace the towering image of a leader with humble team players who are unafraid to admit mistakes and learn from them.

Referencing Lencioni’s work, can a leader ever truly be a team player? The essence of being a team player is to place the team above oneself. By rejecting the conventional leadership role and embracing fellowship, we create a harmonious, democratic, and productive environment. I leave finding an answer to the reader.