Moving Beyond Titles to Build Trust, Ownership, and Real Change
By Jane Phipps — Melbourne, Australia
Featured on medium.com
Leadership is often equated with seniority — the higher up the ladder, the more you lead. However, in today’s workplaces, it’s not hierarchy that drives transformation — it’s mindset. The kind of leadership today’s organisations need is distributed, not concentrated.
It lives in behaviours, not job titles.
In a culture where everyone leads, people contribute not because they’re told to — but because they trust they can.
For decades, many organisations have relied on a traditional leadership model where actions are dictated from a position of power and compliance is rewarded over contribution. But those days are behind us — or at least they should be.
As I wrote in my book:
“Command-and-control leadership relies heavily on hierarchy, with decisions flowing down from the top. Leaders of this ilk often exert their authority to drive results, using fear or strict discipline to maintain control. While this might have worked in factories or military settings of the past, it’s a poor fit for the knowledge-based, collaborative workplaces of today.”
The cracks in this model have been visible for years — high turnover, disengaged teams, stagnant innovation. And yet, the command-and-control hangover lingers. The old-school mindset that values rigidity, status, and fear-based management still hangs around in some organisations like an unwanted guest at a party.
“Talented employees resist micromanagement. They push back when their ability is ignored. The more command-and-control leaders tighten their grip, the more independent thinkers slip through their fingers.”
I’ve lived this tension myself. Early in my career, under pressure, I sometimes found myself leaning into control. It felt like a safety net — clear, structured, predictable. But it also felt exhausting and misaligned with my values.
Letting go of control wasn’t easy, but it was essential. The truth is that people don’t want to be controlled — they want to be trusted. They want to be led by someone who invites their voice, not drowns it out.
The Ecosystem of Shared Leadership
One of the clearest examples of shared leadership I’ve seen is in successful project environments. At first glance, it might look like the project manager is “in charge.” But look closer, and you’ll see a leadership ecosystem — not a hierarchy.
The project manager is the conductor, setting the tempo and keeping everything in sync. The real magic happens because each part of the team leads where it matters most:
• The change manager leads the people — managing communication, training, and emotional impact.
• The business analyst leads the voice of the user — ensuring the solution actually meets the need.
• The solution architect leads the technical integration — making sure the parts fit together.
• The business sponsor leads the why — connecting the project to strategic outcomes.
As a project manager, my success was never about being the smartest person in the room — it was about enabling everyone to lead their part with confidence and clarity.
When that happens, people take ownership not because they’re told to, but because they are trusted to.
That’s the essence of shared leadership. It’s not about flattening structures; it’s about elevating contribution.
Designing a Culture Where Everyone Leads
Creating a culture of shared leadership takes more than encouragement — it takes intentional design. Hierarchies don’t disappear overnight, and nor should they. Structure has a place. But so does rethinking how leadership is defined, enacted, and distributed.
A good place to begin is by inviting contribution early and often. Leadership shouldn’t wait for a scheduled workshop or a post-implementation survey. It should show up in everyday decision-making — in meetings, planning, and hallway conversations.
Ask people what they think before you’ve made up your mind. A simple, “What do you think?” can shift someone from observer to co-creator.
It also means redefining what leadership looks like. It’s not about who speaks the loudest or commands the most attention. It’s about who listens well, who builds bridges, and who lifts others.
True leadership is found in the quiet achievers — the ones who lead with consistency, empathy, and care.
Language Shapes Culture
Language plays a powerful role in this shift. Small changes in the way we speak can encourage shared ownership.
Replace “my team” with “our goals.”
Say “we’re responsible for this,” instead of “you need to deliver.”
Language that includes, shares, and collaborates lays the foundation for collective accountability.
When goals are achieved, share credit visibly. Celebrate not only the figureheads, but the quiet contributors — the linchpins, the team players who held things together.
When something doesn’t go to plan, don’t look for blame — share the learning instead. This builds trust and encourages the kind of risk-taking that drives innovation.
Finally, we need to normalise uncertainty. The most effective leaders are not the ones who have all the answers — they’re the ones who can say, “I don’t know yet, let’s figure it out together.”
Vulnerability is not a liability. It’s the doorway to trust.
Five Qualities of Heart-Centered Leadership
At the heart of all of this are five essential qualities that define my bespoke heart-centered leadership model:
• Genuineness — Show up as yourself. People follow people.
• Respect — Honour every role, every voice, every lived experience.
• Trust — Extend it generously, hold it responsibly.
• Transparency — People can’t own what they can’t see.
• Vulnerability — Let people see the human behind the title.
A culture where everyone leads is one where people feel safe enough to care — and brave enough to act.
Creating a culture of shared leadership is not about losing control — it’s about widening the circle.
It’s not chaos. It’s coherence.
When done well, people stop waiting to be led.
They start leading.