Reference Type
Beitrag auf wissenschaftlicher Konferenz (2012)

Reference
Bildstein, I., & Güldenberg, S. (2012). How Effective Shared Leadership Supersedes Holding the Knowledge Wolf by the Ears Management - A Cognitive-collective Approach to Overcome Three Major Tensions Inherent in the Knowledge-based View. Paper presented at the 12th European Academy of Management Conference: Social Innovation for Competitiveness, Organizational Performance and Human Excellence, Rotterdam School of Management, Erasmus University, Rotterdam, The Netherlands.

Abstract
Our conceptual paper detects three major tensions within the knowledge-based view of the firm. We take a psychological lens on the topic and show how this perspective can restore the outlined theoretical shortcomings. A pivotal point is that vertically leading isolated knowledge workers is not conductive to psychologically safe knowledge flow within the firm. Having a look on how effective shared leadership takes place in the expert collective, on the contrary, is decisive for emergence of a learn-friendly culture. This is due to the fact that when it‘s safe to tell some inconvenient truth, followers` constructive feedback gains significant authority to retroactively lead the incumbent clan leader. Our approach is cognitive-collective, because it highlights the importance of regular self-reflection about inter-group-relations to manage for experts` having benevolent attitudes toward peers and supervisors. Engraving this mindset in daily routines and effectively communicating it to external stakeholders turns knowledge-based firms into expert-magnets.