High-performance environments thrive on precision—clear roles, constant feedback, and purposeful action. So, when I hear teams say they’re “moving to a shared leadership model,
my first question is:
Have you built the structure to support it?
Shared leadership in sport sounds progressive—and it can be transformative. But when introduced without design or development, it often creates ambiguity, tension, or underperformance.
The Myth: Shared Leadership is Natural
The assumption goes like this:
“If we empower more staff or players to lead, they’ll step up, collaborate, and own their performance.”
But shared leadership isn’t about giving everyone a say. It’s about distributing responsibility based on clarity, capability, and context. That doesn’t happen by default in sport—it must be taught, modelled, and supported.
At the national level, I’ve seen high-performance programs flounder when assistant coaches, analysts, and support staff were “included” in leadership… but never shown how to lead together. Meetings became vague. Decisions got diluted. And performance stalled.
Why It Breaks Down in Sport
From academies to Super Rugby teams, I’ve seen three common breakdown points:
- No Role Clarity – Staff don’t know where leadership starts or stops. Coaches clash. Boundaries blur.
- Performance vs. Ownership – Athletes may lead on-field but avoid off-field decisions. Staff contribute ideas but take no responsibility for outcomes.
- Leadership Skills Are Assumed – Technical coaches are expected to lead people, manage conflict, or drive culture—with no training in how.
This isn’t a reflection of poor intent. It’s a reflection of systems that haven’t caught up with expectations.
How to Make Shared Leadership Work in Elite Settings
What works is structured leadership development, integrated into the high-performance system. At Rockhampton Grammar School’s Tiered Academy, and previously across national programs in Ireland and Scotland, we built shared leadership through frameworks like:
- Coach IPP – Aligns each coach’s development with personal influence and organisational outcomes
- Leadership IPP – Supports staff-wide leadership literacy: role clarity, accountability, mentoring, and culture-building
- Team Operating Models – Establish clear communication rhythms and decision pathways between medical, performance, coaching, and management units
One Academy Director told me:
“We didn’t just get better leadership—we got better relationships. People knew where they stood and when to step forward.”
That’s the essence. Shared leadership succeeds when the system supports it.
Final Thought: Model It, Don’t Just Mandate It
If you’re leading a high-performance program and want to adopt shared leadership, ask:
- Have we modelled what good leadership looks like across all roles?
- Do our staff feel confident leading, or just included in meetings?
- Are we coaching the coaches—and the wider staff—to lead together?
Through the Advanced Coach Program, Coach IPP, and tailored consultancy, I help sport organisations build shared leadership that sticks—from academies to elite squads.
Let’s talk about how to strengthen your people, your systems, and your shared performance.