Leadership in Learning Development: a networked approach

Learning Development as a profession is predicated upon the values of collaboration and partnership, sharing practice and critical self-reflection. Working within this ethos, it can be difficult for Learning Developers to recognise themselves as leaders, particularly when notions of leadership as so often tied to line management and traditionally carry connotations of hierarchy and promotion. However, leadership in LD can instead be more readily understood as a network of relations between equals, distributed through personal connections and reinforced by actions and outputs. By valuing and leveraging the five points of power – position, knowledge, task, personal, and relationships – a Learning Developer can bring fresh perspectives to established interactions and position themselves as a hub for sharing knowledge and expertise, building networks, and opportunities one relationship and one task at a time. This chapter argues that influence without authority within a collaborative network is a defining feature of leadership in LD.