
Why leaders should learn to value the boundary spanners
Entrepreneurial talent who work with other teams often run into trouble with their managers. Here are ways to get the most out of your ‘boundary spanners’...
by Nicola Pless , Thomas Maak Published April 24, 2025 in Brain Circuits • 3 min read
The traditionalist leader sees their purpose as maximizing profit and creating short-term economic value for shareholders.
Reserved or defensive – corporate social responsibility (CSR) initiatives are determined on a strict economic cost-benefit basis, ensuring basic compliance with laws and industry norms.
Leadership that is unable or unwilling to respond to stakeholder expectations can lead to stakeholder conflicts or corporate crises, resulting in job losses, destruction of shareholder value, and threats to business survival.
The opportunity seeker shares some of the characteristics of the traditionalist but aims to create social value because of its business and reputational benefits.
Opportunistic – views CSR and sustainability as strategic opportunities to maximize shareholder value and improve financial performance.
If leadership decides to scale back on social and/or environmental initiatives, stakeholders may interpret it as evidence of window-dressing or greenwashing, eroding trust and putting the company’s social license at risk.
The integrator’s greater sense of accountability to stakeholders means they try to deliver on multiple bottom lines (profit, people, planet) and go beyond economic, legal, and strategic concerns to incorporate a broader purpose-driven perspective.
Proactive – aims to drive positive change and integrative value creation in business and society.
With growing expectations not just to do better but to do more, integrators may also attempt to do too much, exposing themselves to the priority trap and risking loss of focus.
Driven by strong moral intentions, idealist leaders dedicate their businesses and energy to solving societal challenges.
Sees the business as a means (not an end) to tackle social problems – even if it impedes growth or risks business longevity.
If they do not invest in management development, the idealist can be caught in an underperformance trap, risking business failure. The breadth and depth of their challenges also leave them more at risk of burnout.
Different leadership styles all have their advantages and disadvantages. Being aware of the pros and cons of each optimizes your decision-making when faced with complex problems, helping you navigate a business successfully and sustainably in times of polycrisis.
Chair of Positive Business at the University of South Australia
Nicola Pless is Chair of Positive Business at the University of South Australia and former Vice President of Leadership Development at a Fortune Global 500 company. In consecutive years, she has been listed among the world’s top 2% of scientists by Stanford University. She received the Faculty Pioneer Award for Teaching Innovation and Excellence from the Aspen Institute.
Chair of Ethics at The University of Queensland Business School
Thomas Maak is Chair of Ethics at The University of Queensland Business School. Previously, he was Director of the Centre for Workplace Leadership and Professor of Leadership at the University of Melbourne. Maak is a global authority on ethics and responsible leadership.
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