Getting on the same page: Why senior leaders matter in co-ways of working

Shared language, shared responsibility, and stronger foundations for community-centred work.

The “co” in co-ways of working is not a prefix — it’s a practice.

As the shift from tokenistic and transactional approaches to more relational ways of working gains momentum and mainstream understanding, senior leaders and executive teams play a huge role in the success and impact of an organisation’s work.

The chosen methodology might be co-design, co-production, partnering, collaboration, or something else that involves ensuring the people affected play a meaningful role in developing solutions.

Yet many executives are expected to commission, sponsor, and enable co-designed or community-centred work without fully understanding the practicalities of the words they’re using – or what they need to know and do to help these ways of working succeed.

That gap matters. When it exists, organisations risk:

• inadvertently making public promises that can’t be achieved within the timeframe or budget allocated
• setting unclear, conflicting, or unachievable expectations for project leads and teams
• missing the valuable opportunities and benefits that evidence shows come from meaningful participatory practice and community involvement
• falling short of sector standards and community expectations
• breaking community trust and goodwill, and potentially causing harm to people who have invested their time and lived expertise
• investing time and resources in services and solutions that don’t meet the needs of people and communities

Our experience over many years of “the doing” tells us this is rarely about intent.

Most leaders are genuinely trying to do the right thing.

Turning things around starts with getting on the same page as a leadership team – and making sure you understand how to support and enable this work well at an executive level.

Co-ways of working are relational practices, delivered by practitioners using carefully crafted approaches to suit the work at hand. Senior executives play a critical role in whether these practices are enabled, championed, and sustained.

The executive teams we work with get this.

They understand that when community-centred approaches are embedded and supported from the top, everyone benefits – communities, teams, services, and organisations. 

They see the value, they’re curious about how to keep improving, and they don’t want to miss the mark.

Strong practice starts with shared language, shared understanding, and solid organisational foundations.

Being “on the same page” as an executive team doesn’t just mean using what you think are the “right” words. It means having modern literacy around the language and approaches, a clear sense of executive roles and responsibilities, and a visible, consistent, and intentional commitment to learning and improvement over time.

What can you do right now?

If you’re a senior leader looking to stay up to date and keep levelling up in how you lead your organisation, here are three practical places to start.

1. Get curious
   Where are you really at as a leader or leadership group? Are you on the same page as the people you’re asking to do the work? Don’t assume — ask, and really listen to what you hear.
2. Be kind
   If you discover there’s room for improvement, be kind to yourself. It’s called a practice for a reason – everyone starts somewhere. Be honest about where you’re at and your commitment to building better.
3. Shift to action
   Get up to speed on your obligations and community expectations. Start small. Go for real over perfect, and ask for support and clarity where you need it.

And remember – we are better together.

We work with senior leaders who want to move from good intentions to meaningful action.

If you’re curious about what getting on the same page could look like in your organisation, you can get in touch here.