JOC CLARK, Ph.D.
About Ally Based Leadership >
What is Ally-Based Leadership (ABL)?
Allied based leadership is at its core an ethic. It is an emerging style of leadership
where the strength of compassion outweighs that of intimidation. It is a philosophy, a
mindset, a lens, an orientation in the world, a handrail in times of difficulty. Relational
Theory has influenced ABL. ABL acknowledges the interconnectedness of humans
through relationship. ABL is a world view, an orientation, a way of being in relation to
sources of personal power.
Defining Qualities
Leadership is fundamentally about relationships. Relationship with the self, direct
personal relationships with others, and multi-directional relationships in groups or
teams, all are key aspects in leadership. Ally-Based Leadership (ABL) is a way of
leading through relationship. Leading by following. ABL is an ethic of leading
collaboratively with a special sensitivity towards working with others in egalitarian
relationships and where power is shared collectively.
Leadership is implicitly a shared process. By definition, one person cannot engage in
leadership alone. There must be more then one person involved, in fact ideally more
then a few. It is precisely this involvement with others that brings leadership down to the
level of relationships. Bolman and Deal write, “Leadership is not a thing. It exists only in
relationships and only in the imagination and perception of the parties to a relationship.”
(1991, p. 404)
It could be said that leadership is really about following; reading, interpreting and
following the signs of others. Through the interpersonal connections found in groups,
the webs of interdependent relationships that form into the many sub groups, that then
make up the sports teams, friendships, work teams, families, and communities. Webs
of friends from many different communities, who share common interests and values,
could all be considered teams of people. Our family groups and our professional
groups are also teams. The “same team” concept is central to ABL.
I do not see leadership as something that is turned on and off at certain times, I see it as
an overall approach to life, that’s why I am calling ally-based leadership and “ethic” or
philosophy. An ethic is a philosophical manner in which one chooses to live life. It’s not
just a style to try on and off for a moment, but more representative of how one lives
overall on the many day-to-day teams.
To help show some of the central principles that help define this philosophy, I have
listed below the ten core beliefs or “mantras” of ABL:
Allied based leadership is at its core an ethic. It is an emerging style of leadership
where the strength of compassion outweighs that of intimidation. It is a philosophy, a
mindset, a lens, an orientation in the world, a handrail in times of difficulty. Relational
Theory has influenced ABL. ABL acknowledges the interconnectedness of humans
through relationship. ABL is a world view, an orientation, a way of being in relation to
sources of personal power.
Defining Qualities
Leadership is fundamentally about relationships. Relationship with the self, direct
personal relationships with others, and multi-directional relationships in groups or
teams, all are key aspects in leadership. Ally-Based Leadership (ABL) is a way of
leading through relationship. Leading by following. ABL is an ethic of leading
collaboratively with a special sensitivity towards working with others in egalitarian
relationships and where power is shared collectively.
Leadership is implicitly a shared process. By definition, one person cannot engage in
leadership alone. There must be more then one person involved, in fact ideally more
then a few. It is precisely this involvement with others that brings leadership down to the
level of relationships. Bolman and Deal write, “Leadership is not a thing. It exists only in
relationships and only in the imagination and perception of the parties to a relationship.”
(1991, p. 404)
It could be said that leadership is really about following; reading, interpreting and
following the signs of others. Through the interpersonal connections found in groups,
the webs of interdependent relationships that form into the many sub groups, that then
make up the sports teams, friendships, work teams, families, and communities. Webs
of friends from many different communities, who share common interests and values,
could all be considered teams of people. Our family groups and our professional
groups are also teams. The “same team” concept is central to ABL.
I do not see leadership as something that is turned on and off at certain times, I see it as
an overall approach to life, that’s why I am calling ally-based leadership and “ethic” or
philosophy. An ethic is a philosophical manner in which one chooses to live life. It’s not
just a style to try on and off for a moment, but more representative of how one lives
overall on the many day-to-day teams.
To help show some of the central principles that help define this philosophy, I have
listed below the ten core beliefs or “mantras” of ABL:
- Leadership is relational by nature.
- We are all on the same team: the perception that everyone is “with us” and to
some degree on the part of “our team”. - An assumption of goodwill, expect the best from people. This is an assumption
about human nature that we are basically all trustworthy and that all behavior is
purposeful. There are no “bad” people. When misbehaviors (crimes...) happen it
is because the person involved is not having one of their basic needs met. - Each of us holds inherent excellence: Everyone is inherently excellent in some
way. We each have our own unique set of strengths and personal assets. - Power can be shared infinitely: Everyone is a leader and can actively participate
in leadership if they are allowed access. Power can be used exponentially; the
more we share the more there is to be shared. Power is a social construct that
is defined through perception and action. - Lead by following: Set the precedent of leading by listening to the needs of
others and the group as a whole. - Lead through inquiry:
- Ask questions that are in-service to the person being asked. Creating
questions with the sole purpose of serving to open up the person being
asked and serve them in a positive way. - Seek to understand, before seeking to be understood: especially when in
conflict balance inquiry with advocacy. “Talk less, and ask more.”
- Be an Ambassador of the Heart: Keep an eye out for the safety of the group. Be
a champion for the cause of maintaining a emotionally safe vessel in which
participants can travel to where they need to go. - Be solution focused: have that “glass is half full” optimism. Try to be forward
thinking, not focused solely on the problem, but more on what are possible
solutions to the problem. - Less is more: say no more.
Ally (def.): collaborator, teammate, colleague,
supporter, partner, associate
supporter, partner, associate
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