| The practice of Alternating Leadership has emerged to address the fast-paced operational needs of an organization. Alternating Leadership practice requires for greater role flexibility among leaders and employees in modern organizations as such that most, if not all, employees can successfully step into leadership roles in varying situations. However, no evidence-based strategies have been identified that will facilitate the identification of the factors and thought processes that enables role flexibility among leader-follower roles in complex organizations. This multiple case qualitative study, using the individual-depth interview (IDI) method was conducted to explore the thought processes enabling role alternation between leader and followers, and the situations that are suitable for role alternation. Purposive sampling of 28 participants were recruited via LinkedIn from the Education (n=5), Finance (n=5), Healthcare (n=5), Public (n=8), and Technology (n=5) sectors. Key findings of the factors considered (thought processes) before enacting role alternation are competency (93%), expectations of the team (86%), relationships among team members (82%), common goals (61%), capacity (54%), control of performance (57%) and learning and growth (50%). The situations suitable for role alternation include competence (93%), organizational culture (75%), cross-functional team structure (71%), common goals (64%), capacity (54%), and allowing others to learn and grow (50%). There are challenges in role alternation practice, and the strategies to meet these challenges are to clearly define goals, roles, and responsibilities, foster an organizational culture of encouraging role flexibility, strengthening the leader-follower relationship, and establishing a meaningful performance evaluation system. Future research to verify the factors enabling role flexibility, challenges faced in role alternation, the situations suitable for role alternation practice, as well as the strategies to meet such challenges is recommended. |
