{"id":2484,"date":"2026-07-27T08:26:13","date_gmt":"2026-07-27T08:26:13","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/geteiltefuehrung.com\/?p=2032"},"modified":"2026-07-27T08:26:13","modified_gmt":"2026-07-27T08:26:13","slug":"leadership-tandem","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/geteiltefuehrung.com\/en\/leadership-tandem\/","title":{"rendered":"Leadership tandem: the practice guide"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<p class=\"gf-eyebrow wp-block-paragraph\">Guide \u00b7 Practice for duos<\/p>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-group gf-answer is-layout-constrained wp-block-group-is-layout-constrained\">\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><span class=\"gf-answer__label\">In brief<\/span>A leadership tandem is two people sharing one leadership role. To work, it needs three things: clearly divided roles, agreed decision rules and a coordinated outward presence. Good chemistry helps but doesn&#8217;t replace this structure.<\/p>\n\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-group gf-toc is-layout-constrained wp-block-group-is-layout-constrained\">\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>Contents<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n\n<li><a href=\"\/#was\">What a leadership tandem is<\/a><\/li>\n\n\n<li><a href=\"\/#faktoren\">The three success factors<\/a><\/li>\n\n\n<li><a href=\"\/#aufbau\">How to build a tandem<\/a><\/li>\n\n\n<li><a href=\"\/#scheitern\">Why tandems fail<\/a><\/li>\n\n<\/ul>\n\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"was\">What a leadership tandem is<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">A <strong>leadership tandem<\/strong> consists of two people who share <em>one<\/em> leadership role \u2013 unlike a dual leadership, where each person has a full role. The tandem appears as one leadership internally and externally, even though two people carry it. That&#8217;s exactly what makes it demanding: two heads must become one voice without giving themselves up.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"faktoren\">The three success factors<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-columns gf-cards is-layout-flex wp-container-core-columns-is-layout-7387b849 wp-block-columns-is-layout-flex\">\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-column is-layout-flow wp-block-column-is-layout-flow\">\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-group gf-card is-layout-constrained wp-block-group-is-layout-constrained\">\n\n<p class=\"gf-num wp-block-paragraph\">1<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Roles<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Who owns what \u2013 clearly divided instead of diffusely shared.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-buttons is-layout-flex wp-block-buttons-is-layout-flex\">\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-button gf-btn--ghost\"><a class=\"wp-block-button__link wp-element-button\" href=\"\/en\/leadership-tandem-roles\/\">More<\/a><\/div>\n\n<\/div>\n\n<\/div>\n\n<\/div>\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-column is-layout-flow wp-block-column-is-layout-flow\">\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-group gf-card is-layout-constrained wp-block-group-is-layout-constrained\">\n\n<p class=\"gf-num wp-block-paragraph\">2<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Decisions<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Who decides what, and what happens in disagreement.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-buttons is-layout-flex wp-block-buttons-is-layout-flex\">\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-button gf-btn--ghost\"><a class=\"wp-block-button__link wp-element-button\" href=\"\/en\/leadership-tandem-decision-rules\/\">More<\/a><\/div>\n\n<\/div>\n\n<\/div>\n\n<\/div>\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-column is-layout-flow wp-block-column-is-layout-flow\">\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-group gf-card is-layout-constrained wp-block-group-is-layout-constrained\">\n\n<p class=\"gf-num wp-block-paragraph\">3<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Outward presence<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">How you appear to team and environment as a unit.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-buttons is-layout-flex wp-block-buttons-is-layout-flex\">\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-button gf-btn--ghost\"><a class=\"wp-block-button__link wp-element-button\" href=\"\/en\/leadership-tandem-communication\/\">More<\/a><\/div>\n\n<\/div>\n\n<\/div>\n\n<\/div>\n\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-group gf-takeaways is-layout-constrained wp-block-group-is-layout-constrained\">\n<p class=\"gf-takeaways__label wp-block-paragraph\">Key takeaways<\/p>\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\"><li>A tandem shares one role \u2013 a dual leadership has two full roles.<\/li><li>Success rests on roles, decision rules and outward presence.<\/li><li>The greatest leverage is at the start, before patterns harden.<\/li><\/ul>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"aufbau\">How to build a tandem<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"gf-steps wp-block-list\">\n\n<li>Divide roles and areas of responsibility clearly.<\/li>\n\n\n<li>Agree decision types and the disagreement mechanism.<\/li>\n\n\n<li>Define the shared outward presence.<\/li>\n\n\n<li>Put it all in writing and review after a few weeks.<\/li>\n\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-group gf-exp is-layout-constrained wp-block-group-is-layout-constrained\">\n<p class=\"gf-exp__label wp-block-paragraph\">Aus meiner Praxis<\/p>\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">When I led in a tandem myself, writing things down was the turning point. As long as our agreements only existed in our heads, each one was negotiable \u2013 usually at the worst moment. Only the shared document carried us.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"scheitern\">Why tandems fail<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"gf-cons wp-block-list\">\n\n<li>Roles stay diffuse \u2013 both do everything, no one owns anything.<\/li>\n\n\n<li>A rule for the crunch of disagreement is missing.<\/li>\n\n\n<li>Contradictory signals arise to the outside.<\/li>\n\n\n<li>Unequal visibility breeds silent resentment.<\/li>\n\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">For a clean start, find guidance in <a href=\"\/en\/tandem-start-coaching\/\">tandem start coaching<\/a>; if it\u2019s already grinding, <a href=\"\/en\/leadership-duo-conflict-coaching\/\">conflict coaching<\/a> helps.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"faq\">Frequently asked questions<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-group gf-faq is-layout-constrained wp-block-group-is-layout-constrained\">\n\n<details class=\"wp-block-details gf-faq__item is-layout-flow wp-block-details-is-layout-flow\"><summary>What&#8217;s the difference between a tandem and a dual leadership?<\/summary>\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The tandem shares one role, the dual leadership consists of two full roles.<\/p>\n\n<\/details>\n\n\n<details class=\"wp-block-details gf-faq__item is-layout-flow wp-block-details-is-layout-flow\"><summary>Does a tandem need good chemistry?<\/summary>\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Chemistry helps but doesn&#8217;t carry alone. Without clear roles and rules, even the most likeable duo fails.<\/p>\n\n<\/details>\n\n\n<details class=\"wp-block-details gf-faq__item is-layout-flow wp-block-details-is-layout-flow\"><summary>How do you best start?<\/summary>\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">With clear roles and decision rules \u2013 in writing, before daily life begins.<\/p>\n\n<\/details>\n\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n<script type=\"application\/ld+json\">{\"@context\": \"https:\/\/schema.org\", \"@type\": \"FAQPage\", \"mainEntity\": [{\"@type\": \"Question\", \"name\": \"What's the difference between a tandem and a dual leadership?\", \"acceptedAnswer\": {\"@type\": \"Answer\", \"text\": \"The tandem shares one role, the dual leadership consists of two full roles.\"}}, {\"@type\": \"Question\", \"name\": \"Does a tandem need good chemistry?\", \"acceptedAnswer\": {\"@type\": \"Answer\", \"text\": \"Chemistry helps but doesn't carry alone. Without clear roles and rules, even the most likeable duo fails.\"}}, {\"@type\": \"Question\", \"name\": \"How do you best start?\", \"acceptedAnswer\": {\"@type\": \"Answer\", \"text\": \"With clear roles and decision rules \u2013 in writing, before daily life begins.\"}}]}<\/script>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-group gf-sources is-layout-constrained wp-block-group-is-layout-constrained\">\n<h2 class=\"gf-sources__h wp-block-heading\">Sources &amp; further reading<\/h2>\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\"><li>Pearce, C. L. &amp; Conger, J. A. (2003): <em>Shared Leadership. Reframing the Hows and Whys of Leadership.<\/em> Sage.<\/li><li>Carson, J. B., Tesluk, P. E. &amp; Marrone, J. A. (2007): Shared Leadership in Teams. <em>Academy of Management Journal<\/em>, 50(5), 1217\u20131234.<\/li><li>Wang, D., Waldman, D. A. &amp; Zhang, Z. (2014): A meta-analysis of shared leadership and team effectiveness. <em>Journal of Applied Psychology<\/em>, 99(2), 181\u2013198.<\/li><\/ul>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-group gf-method is-layout-constrained wp-block-group-is-layout-constrained\">\n<p class=\"gf-method__label wp-block-paragraph\">How this article was written<\/p>\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">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.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-group gf-author gf-author--rich is-layout-flex wp-block-group-is-layout-flex\">\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image is-style-rounded gf-author__img\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/geteiltefuehrung.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/amrit-rescheneder.jpg\" alt=\"Amrit Rescheneder\"\/><\/figure>\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-group is-layout-constrained wp-block-group-is-layout-constrained\">\n\n<p class=\"gf-author__label wp-block-paragraph\">About the author<\/p>\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Amrit Rescheneder<\/h3>\n\n\n<p class=\"gf-author__role wp-block-paragraph\">Expert in co-leadership<\/p>\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Amrit Rescheneder helps organisations and leadership tandems build shared leadership that works. She led in a job-sharing model herself for years \u2013 after 15 years of leadership responsibility in banking. She knows shared leadership from practice, not from textbooks.<\/p>\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list gf-author__creds\"><li>15 years of leadership responsibility in banking<\/li><li>Led in a leadership tandem herself for years<\/li><li>Guides organisations &amp; leadership duos<\/li><\/ul>\n\n\n<p class=\"gf-author__more wp-block-paragraph\"><a href=\"\/en\/about\/\">More about me \u2192<\/a><\/p>\n\n<\/div>\n\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n<script type=\"application\/ld+json\">{\"@context\": \"https:\/\/schema.org\", \"@type\": \"Article\", \"headline\": \"Leadership tandem: the practice guide\", \"description\": \"What defines a leadership tandem, which three factors decide success and how to build one.\", \"inLanguage\": \"en-US\", \"datePublished\": \"2026-07-25\", \"dateModified\": \"2026-07-25\", \"author\": {\"@type\": \"Person\", \"name\": \"Amrit Rescheneder\", \"jobTitle\": \"Expert in co-leadership\", \"url\": \"https:\/\/geteiltefuehrung.com\/ueber-mich\/\"}, \"publisher\": {\"@type\": \"Organization\", \"name\": \"geteiltefuehrung.com\", \"url\": \"https:\/\/geteiltefuehrung.com\/\"}, \"mainEntityOfPage\": {\"@type\": \"WebPage\", \"@id\": \"https:\/\/geteiltefuehrung.com\/fuehrungstandem\/\"}}<\/script>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"gf-updated-en wp-block-paragraph\">Updated: 25 July 2026<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Guide \u00b7 Practice for duos In briefA leadership tandem is two people sharing one leadership role. To work, it needs [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"site-sidebar-layout":"default","site-content-layout":"","ast-site-content-layout":"default","site-content-style":"default","site-sidebar-style":"default","ast-global-header-display":"","ast-banner-title-visibility":"","ast-main-header-display":"","ast-hfb-above-header-display":"","ast-hfb-below-header-display":"","ast-hfb-mobile-header-display":"","site-post-title":"","ast-breadcrumbs-content":"","ast-featured-img":"","footer-sml-layout":"","ast-disable-related-posts":"","theme-transparent-header-meta":"","adv-header-id-meta":"","stick-header-meta":"","header-above-stick-meta":"","header-main-stick-meta":"","header-below-stick-meta":"","astra-migrate-meta-layouts":"default","ast-page-background-enabled":"default","ast-page-background-meta":{"desktop":{"background-color":"var(--ast-global-color-5)","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""},"tablet":{"background-color":"","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""},"mobile":{"background-color":"","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""}},"ast-content-background-meta":{"desktop":{"background-color":"var(--ast-global-color-4)","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""},"tablet":{"background-color":"var(--ast-global-color-4)","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""},"mobile":{"background-color":"var(--ast-global-color-4)","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""}},"footnotes":""},"categories":[6],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-2484","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-ratgeber"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/geteiltefuehrung.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2484","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/geteiltefuehrung.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/geteiltefuehrung.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/geteiltefuehrung.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/geteiltefuehrung.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=2484"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/geteiltefuehrung.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2484\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/geteiltefuehrung.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=2484"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/geteiltefuehrung.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=2484"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/geteiltefuehrung.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=2484"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}