Collective Leadership: Navigating with Kuenkel’s Compass

Leadership today is no longer defined by one person at the top making all the decisions.

The complexity of our world calls for a different approach—one that draws on the

strengths, perspectives, and resources of many. Petra Kuenkel’s Collective Leadership

Compass offers a powerful framework for navigating this kind of shared leadership,

helping teams and organizations work together toward sustainable impact.

The compass outlines six dimensions that work together to strengthen collective

action:

1. Future Possibilities – The vision we co-create. This dimension calls us to look

beyond immediate challenges and imagine the future we want to bring into being.

It’s about aligning around a shared purpose and keeping sight of long-term

impact.

2. Engagement – Bringing people to the table. Engagement is about actively

involving stakeholders, building trust, and creating a sense of shared ownership

in the process.

3. Innovation – Finding new pathways forward. Innovation emerges when diverse

perspectives come together and challenge old assumptions, opening the door to

creative, adaptive solutions.

4. Humanity – Honoring our shared personhood. Humanity invites us to lead from

empathy, authenticity, and care, recognizing the dignity and worth of every

person involved.

5. Collective Intelligence – Tapping into shared wisdom. When people contribute

their unique knowledge and experiences, the group’s understanding expands far

beyond what any single individual could achieve alone.

6. Wholeness – Seeing the bigger picture. Wholeness reminds us to stay

connected to the common good, to think in systems, and to integrate economic,

social, and environmental dimensions into our decisions.

When used together, these six dimensions act as a navigational tool for leaders and

teams. They help us not only set a clear course but also adapt when conditions change.

The compass is not a rigid step-by-step plan—it’s a living guide that strengthens

collaboration, builds trust, and keeps the group aligned on both purpose and process.

Collective leadership demands that we balance action with reflection, vision with

listening, and results with relationships. Kuenkel’s compass gives us a way to orient

ourselves in this balance—so we can not only lead more effectively but also create

lasting impact in the communities and systems we serve.