Lateral Leadership – Leading Without Dominating People

In today’s academic world, leadership is about the ability to inspire, connect, and move others toward meaningful results. The two days course on Lateral Leadership, designed especially for academics who lead in complex environments where authority is shared, dispersed, or informal.
Lateral leadership means guiding others without relying on power or hierarchy. It is about influence instead of instruction, inspiration instead of authority. Academic project teams often span departments, disciplines, and even institutions. In such settings, the true challenge is to take responsibility for leadership without having power over others—finding ways to motivate, engage, and support diverse colleagues toward common goals.
During this course, you will learn how to keep both yourself and your team motivated and inspired, even when working across boundaries. You will understand what distinguishes complicated from complex situations and what kind of leadership each requires. You will practice moderating meetings toward solid consensus, giving powerful feedback that strengthens relationships, and creating a joyful, productive atmosphere in your team.

By the end, you will feel more confident in your leadership, ready to facilitate collaboration, navigate uncertainty, and foster an environment where people can truly thrive.

Content

• Introduction to leadership: concepts, practices, and myths
• Hierarchical vs. lateral leadership: differences & similarities
• Leading without using power
• Evidence-based modern leadership concepts: shared leadership, transformational leadership, leader - member exchange
• Delegating tasks successfully
• Giving constructive feedback that supports individual development
• Creating trust and cooperation in complex systems
• Facilitating meetings that lead to results
• Decision-making when data isn’t consistent
• Reaching consent despite contradicting interests
• Using conflict as a catalyst for creativity and innovation