Beyond Shared Leadership: Designing Liberatory Systems of Power

Power is often treated like a problem to solve. Something to flatten, give away, or tiptoe around.

In many equity and inclusion spaces, the instinct is to move toward shared leadership—and for good reason. The traditional model of centralized, top-down control has left many people out, especially those who’ve been historically marginalized. Shared leadership offers an alternative: distribute decision-making, center collaboration, and blur hierarchy.

And while I appreciate what shared leadership intends, I also think we need to be more honest about what power actually is.

Power doesn’t disappear just because we “share” it. It doesn’t become less complicated just because we’re more collaborative. And pretending it does often causes more harm than good.

What if power isn’t the problem?

And what if, instead of flattening power, we learned how to hold it with intention, align it with our values, and use it in service of belonging and transformation?

What I Mean by Reimagining Power

When I facilitate, consult, or support a team, I hold power. I influence the space and guide the process. People look to me for cues, but I don’t try to erase that. I name it. I try to use it with care and not control. And I try to create space where others can step into their own power in ways that serve connection, not competition.

Using my power is about creating a center that holds all of us.

This kind of power isn’t loud or dominating. It’s quiet, intentional, and relational. And it’s built on a few key ideas that go beyond the usual frame of shared leadership.

Shared Leadership vs. Liberatory Power: What’s the Difference?

1. I don’t pretend power disappears.

Shared leadership often assumes that once we spread roles or share decisions, power becomes neutral. But power still shows up in voices that are louder, in unspoken influence, and in who gets listened to.

✨ I name power. I track how it moves. And I invite others to do the same.

2. I hold structure and fluidity.

Shared leadership sometimes leans so far into flatness that people are left confused about who’s doing what or whether anything’s getting done at all. I believe structure is not the enemy. When it’s values-aligned, it’s a tool for co-creation and liberation.

✨ Leadership is about creating containers where people feel safe and free enough to contribute meaningfully.

3. I believe in courageous leadership.

Many shared leadership models avoid tension. But I don’t believe care and challenge are opposites. I believe in calling people into their values, the hard truths, and the deeper work.

✨ We all lead. And we all have a responsibility to lead bravely.

4. I don’t pretend collectivity is easy.

Real groups carry fear, silence, trauma, and protection. Just saying “we all lead” doesn’t mean people feel safe enough to show up. I build conditions for people to move from self-protection into participation and I hold the pace with them.

✨ I don’t flatten leadership into a performance of inclusion. Instead, I dive deep to understand what people need to trust themselves enough to participate.

So, What Can Power Look Like?

When reimagined, power becomes:

• An Invitation.

  To speak, to shape, to be seen.

• An Alignment.

  Between what we say matters, and how we actually move.

• A Responsibility.

  To use our voice, access, and insight in service of equity and belonging.

• A Co-Creation.

  Where structure helps us move forward together.  
  
  

For Me, This Is What Power Means:

It’s not about being less visible.

It’s not about pretending everyone has the same influence.

It’s not about diluting leadership so no one feels uncomfortable.

It’s about using whatever power I hold with care, transparency, and with deep accountability to the people I serve, the values I hold, and the kind of world I want to help build.

Power doesn’t have to be flattened.

It can be held and shared with clarity.

And it can be practiced with generosity, courage, and trust.  

An Invitation to Reflect: 

• How does your relationship with power support or get in the way of equity and belonging?

• Where do you want to practice a different kind of leadership?

Let’s not run from power. Let’s use it, reimagine it, and hold it in ways that set more people free.