Co-Leader Onboarding
We support leaders for the full co-leadership journey
Co-Leadership: A leadership structure where two or more individuals share executive authority and decision-making responsibilities
Onboarding: Moving Into Co-Leadership
When your organization and co-leaders are ready to be supported by a structured, research-based onboarding to sustain your co-leadership and create successful ongoing practice.
The Onboarding Experience:
Module 1: Introduction
Welcome to co-leadership onboarding! You’ll be introduced to co-leadership concepts, benefits, and best practices for initiating and practicing healthy co-leader partnerships; and meet the R-A-L-R model that will sustain your ongoing practice.
Module 2: The RALR Model
You’ll get a broad overview of the full cycle of co-leadership activities in the R-A-L-R model that you’ll return to as regular practice to sustain your co-leadership commitment to each other and the organization.
Module 3: Roles
You’ll focus on ROLE clarity as a critical foundation in the co-leader partnership, and how to map co-leader roles for transparency. We'll introduce the liberatory framework, and explore topics with a traditional and liberatory lens, to observe the distinctive impact each approach brings.
Module 4: Agreements
Explore a range of AGREEMENTS important to co-leaders, including the most critical -- trust contracts for decision making, conflict transformation, and consent.
Module 5: Learning
Consider how roles create clarity, agreements create accountability, and co-learning creates evolution. LEARNING protects shared power over time, and maintains the liberatory framework for your co-leadership practice.
Module 6: Repeat
Learn how REPEAT creates the rhythm of practice and ongoing commitment, so co-leadership is not just a staffing structure, but the key to evolution.
✺ Frequently asked questions ✺
-
Onboarding creates intentionality around trust and transparency, turning assumptions into stated commitments. Co-leadership onboarding is not a class. It is an immersive experience moving through discussions that help with trust, transparency, and alignment needed to work together and lead your community — to make commitments that help build a strong relationship. Waiting to deal with trust, transparency, and alignment issues later when they rise as problems, is what often derails co-leaders. Studies show that co-leaders have a better chance of success when they are supported from the start.
-
A consultant frees you and your co-leader from the facilitator role so you can immerse yourself in the co-leadership journey as a learner and practitioner. This is a recommended best practice. Studies show that support (consultant, guide) is an important factor in the success of co-leadership.
-
Onboarding is not a class. It is a process of co-leaders learning, discussing, and practicing together the many elements that build trust, transparency, and alignment, with the support of a guide or facilitator.
Onboarding should be tailored to the needs and preferences of the co-leaders and organization. The following can be included in the onboarding experience.
Weekly or bi-weekly learning sessions with co-leaders and their guide (consultant) moving through the 6-part co-leadership curriculum for 3-6 months.
One-on-one executive coaching for each co-leader, during or after training ends.
Group executive coaching with both co-leaders, during or after training ends.
Quarterly check-ins with your executive coach as co-leaders move into regular practice on their own.
On-call coaching sessions when co-leaders require more support.
-
Our onboarding process uses real work-life challenges faced by co-leaders as part of the learning process. You can complete the onboarding in a short period of time, or a longer period, with different expectations:
Three to six months— for weekly or bi-weekly learning experiences through a 6-part program and real work-life practice with a consultant.
Six to twelve months— the bi-weekly sessions followed by 1-1 or group coaching sessions.
A 2-5 day retreat intensive covering all learning modules, followed by bi-weekly group coaching for 3-4 months.
A 2-5 day retreat intensive followed by co-leader self-practice (not supported by a consultant).
Co-leader self-facilitated onboarding using YNH onboarding modules without consultant facilitation— at your own pace.
Co-leader self-facilitated onboarding, on your own.
Co-leaders and organizations should choose the onboarding that meets their needs and budget.
-
The cost depends on the level of support, length of time support is needed, and how many co-leaders are part of your group. We can provide estimates and options in a discovery call.
-
We can provide an assessment tool for your Board of Directors, and your co-leaders, to help you determine your readiness for adopting a co-leadership model. Self-assessment is a helpful start, whether you do it yourself, or ask us to facilitate assessment for you.
We can also offer a webinar for your group as an introduction to co-leadership, as a starting point.
-
Of course. However, studies show that co-leadership that starts with outside consulting support benefits from a strong foundation. Partnering with a guide is one determinant of co-leadership success.
-
While support can take on many forms co-leaders require for sustaining their individual and collective work together, the following are support starting points:
The board has committed to its role in supporting co-leaders and staff throughout the co-leadership journey.
A consultant or guide has been secured to facilitate onboarding and practice support.
Executive coaching is offered to support co-leaders during their partnership.
Scheduled reflection times are included for revisiting roles, agreements, and learning for ongoing liberatory practice.
-
It’s your choice. We use it in our onboarding because liberatory leadership goes beyond traditional leadership to:
Prevent domination, invisibility, and burnout
Make power visible and leadership humane
Clarify authority, responsibility, and care
Protect dignity under pressure
Address “emotional labor”
Leverage conflict for transformation
Prioritize reflection and repair — key for liberatory leadership