Guide · Public sector
In briefIn the public sector, shared leadership is gaining importance as an answer to part-time demand, skill shortages and work-life balance. Job-sharing and tandem leadership are increasingly possible here but require clear rules on responsibility, service law and deputising.
Why this matters especially here
Public administrations are under double pressure: many experienced leaders are retiring, and at the same time qualified newcomers want work-life balance and part-time – even in leadership. Shared leadership, e.g. as a tandem or top-sharing, is an obvious answer to keep leadership positions attractive and fillable.
Special features in administration
- Clear responsibility rules matter especially, given record-keeping and accountability.
- Service- and career-law questions must be cleanly clarified.
- Deputising rules and signing authority need an unambiguous assignment.
- Staff council and equality officers should be involved early.
What you should watch
- An unambiguous, written division of responsibilities.
- Clarified signing and decision authority.
- Early involvement of staff council and equality officers.
- A disagreement rule that also holds under service law.
Aus meiner Praxis
What’s often underestimated in administration: the substantive collaboration is usually the smaller problem. The real work lies in cleanly clarifying responsibility, deputising and signing authority.
Frequently asked questions
Is shared leadership even possible in the public sector?
Yes, tandem leadership and job-sharing are increasingly practised. Clear responsibility and deputising rules are decisive.
What must be considered under service law?
It depends on region, career track and function and should be checked legally case by case.
Sources & further reading
- Pearce, C. L. & Conger, J. A. (2003): Shared Leadership. Reframing the Hows and Whys of Leadership. Sage.
- Carson, J. B., Tesluk, P. E. & Marrone, J. A. (2007): Shared Leadership in Teams. Academy of Management Journal, 50(5), 1217–1234.
- Wang, D., Waldman, D. A. & Zhang, Z. (2014): A meta-analysis of shared leadership and team effectiveness. Journal of Applied Psychology, 99(2), 181–198.
How this article was written
This article is based on my own experience as a leader in a job-sharing model and 15 years of leading in banking, as well as the established research on shared leadership (see sources). Where I speak from practice, it is marked as such.
Amrit Rescheneder
Amrit Rescheneder helps organisations and leadership tandems build shared leadership that works. She led in a job-sharing model herself for years – after 15 years of leadership responsibility in banking. She knows shared leadership from practice, not from textbooks.
Updated: 25 July 2026