Guide · Examples
In briefDual leaderships are found in management, boards, associations and administrations. Successful examples share a clear division of portfolios and a united presence; failed ones usually fail on unresolved final decisions.
Archetypal examples
So as not to expose anyone and not to claim anything I can’t support, the following examples are described as patterns, not by name.
1 · The portfolio-clear management
Two managing directors share the leadership: one owns market and sales, the other finance and operations. Strategic decisions are made jointly by an agreed rule. The clear split prevents friction in daily business.
2 · The association dual leadership
An association is led by two equal chairs to share load and responsibility. Decisive here is the unambiguous rule on who speaks outward for what.
3 · The failed prestige dual leadership
Two prominent people are jointly appointed to the top without portfolios and final decision being clarified. Every question of direction becomes a trial of strength, the environment starts to play them off against each other. After a short time the model ends. The people weren’t the problem, the missing structure was.
Aus meiner Praxis
The third pattern is the one I encounter most when organisations call me – usually too late. The lesson is always the same: portfolios and a disagreement rule belong clarified before the names are fixed.
What unites successful dual leaderships
- Clear portfolios with genuine final decisions.
- An agreed rule for strategic disagreement.
- A united, coordinated outward presence.
Frequently asked questions
Are there well-known companies with a dual leadership?
Yes, several large companies have been led with two equal board or management heads at times. What matters is the structure, not the name.
Why are no specific companies named here?
Because such arrangements change frequently and I don’t want to claim anything outdated or inaccurate. The patterns transfer.
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