Distributed Leadership – An Alternative Approach for Intellectual Disability?

This chapter suggests that distributed leadership (DL) as an alternative approach to leadership and puts forward a tentative guide for supporting organisational change and development within intellectual disability services. It describes the reader about the importance of leadership in health and social care and then explains how DL has been conceptualised and defined in the literature. The chapter explores the theoretical and historical roots of the concept. A synopsis of the empirical evidence on DL is provided and its relevance and application within healthcare. DL can be traced back to 1250 BC which suggests that it is probably one of the oldest leadership approaches used for achieving organisational goals. According to P. Gronn the idea of DL was first addressed by C. A. Gibb who claimed that leadership functions are best carried out by a group. In spite of its early origins the concept remained underdeveloped until the 1980s and 1990s.