ABSTRACT
The ideal of parity among co-leaders can paralyze decision-making and challenge their ability to lead as one. Researchers demonstrate how modest informal status difference is useful for organizational effectiveness, but other scholars emphasize collaborative relationships to solve the paralysis. Co-leadership studies of leaders' divergent strategic orientation evoke the possibility of conflict. Ultimately, leaders' intense engagement in values and logics has been shown to produce toxic relationship conflict. However, status conflict appears to supersede and augment this conflict, making it a pertinent topic for the study of co-leadership. This second empirical chapter provides space to explore the nature of status conflict practices. From being silent and absent through to direct confrontation, the practices evolve from within the relationship. However, bypassing the relationship and creating external alliances may become necessary. Appealing to the board of directors may solve the stand-off among co-leaders. Ironically, this abdicates power to the board; they lose respect; and the leader chooses departure. Applying the lens of social hierarchy within co-leadership contributes to an understanding of how conflict attempts to resolve the paralysis of parity.
