This paper argues that collective leadership – as opposed to command-and-control structures – provides the optimum basis for caring cultures. Collective leadership entails distributing and allocating leadership power to wherever expertise, capability and motivation sit within organisations. NHS boards bear ultimate responsibility for developing strategies for coherent, effective and forward-looking collective leadership.

This paper explains the interaction between collective leadership and cultures that value compassionate care, by drawing on wider literature and case studies of good organisational practice. It outlines the main characteristics of a collective leadership strategy and the process for developing this.