From Leaders to Leadership: Why the Shift Matters

At the March 20th Quorum Initiative Speaker Series event, leadership experts Jenny Robinson, co-founder Coaching on the Go and Sarah McArthur, an award winning author and executive producer, explored this critical shift and its implications for organizations striving to cultivate more dynamic, effective teams.

Leadership as a Collective Process

Traditionally, leadership has been viewed as an individual trait—something possessed by a select few. However, Jenny Robinson challenges this notion, advocating instead for leadership as a dynamic and collective process. Drawing from her extensive research and experience, she argues that effective leadership emerges through collaboration rather than top-down authority. Organizations that embrace this shift can foster resilience, adaptability, and innovation among their teams.

Coaching as a Daily Practice

In addition to redefining leadership, Jenny emphasized the need to reframe coaching. Rather than treating coaching as a structured, isolated role, she proposes embedding coaching into daily interactions. She calls these micro-coaching moments—brief, constructive exchanges—which can have a profound impact on workplace culture, encouraging continuous learning and development without the constraints of formal training sessions.

Lessons from Nature and the Military

Jenny drew an important analogy between leadership and the cooperative networks of trees, which exchange nutrients via underground mycelium. Just as trees thrive through interconnected support systems, organizations can benefit from fostering leadership that is relational and collaborative.

Even military leadership models, historically rigid and hierarchical, are evolving toward more flexible, adaptive decision-making structures. This transition underscores the growing recognition that leadership must be fluid and responsive rather than command-driven.

Measuring Leadership in Action

To help organizations implement this shift, Jenny and her co-founder, Phil Renshaw, developed The Gizmo, a behavioral assessment tool designed to measure real-time leadership behaviors. Unlike traditional psychometric tests, The Gizmo provides insights into how organizational culture either fosters or constrains leadership. More importantly, it encourages small, practical behavioral changes that collectively enhance team effectiveness.

Calls to Action

“We rise by lifting others” – is a powerful reminder from 19th-century orator and human rights advocate Robert Green Ingersoll. This quote underscores the idea that true growth—both personal and collective—comes through mutual support. We apply this principle to Leadership.

Following are the calls to action we discussed:

Stop talking about “leaders” as isolated individuals. Instead, recognize that Leadership is not a title—it’s a dynamic process that emerges from the collective. It thrives through collaboration across all levels of an organization.

Start thinking about coaching as a natural, integrated part of everyday work. It’s not a separate activity—it lives in the daily messiness, in moments of reflection and feedback. Remember: even one small shift in behavior can, over time, lead to significant transformation.

Continue your commitment to Coaching On the Go. Just 10 minutes a day, with bite-sized, real-time actions. These small experiments in how we act and react can have a big impact on how we lead, support, and show up for others.

Embracing a New Leadership Paradigm

During the interactive portion of the session, participants identified simple behavioral changes—such as delegating more effectively, providing clearer feedback, or being more present in meetings—that could enhance leadership and coaching within their teams.

Closing remarks from Sarah McArthur highlighted the leadership philosophy of Frances Hesselbein, former CEO of the Girl Scouts and recipient of the Presidential Medal of Freedom. Her legacy underscores the importance of collaboration and adaptability in leadership—values that are more relevant than ever in today’s organizations.