By JOSHUA NURCOMBE-PIKE
Global Theological Educator based in the UK
“So, any thoughts on this?”
My enthusiastic pitch for a new initiative concluded with this question. I was hoping for a chorus of input and lively discussion, but instead was met with an awkward silence that only grew as the seconds passed. Internally, I blamed the poor Zoom connection and shuffled on to the next agenda item.
During my first few months ‘in charge’, this scenario became all too familiar. I led a diverse, cross-cultural team tasked with building an innovative theological training programme for leaders across the Global South. I recognised the limitations of my own Western perspective and was keen to maintain a people-focused approach early on. I wanted ideas to flow freely, for team members to take initiative, and for everyone to feel empowered to contribute.
Yet, despite my best efforts, it often felt like I was constantly having to cajole the team to speak up. Their hesitance frustrated me, and I found myself grappling with the lack of engagement in response to my ideas and initiatives.
The flaw: top-down leadership
The reality was that I was inadvertently stifling the team’s ability to collaborate, bring their unique contextual perspectives, and take ownership of their work.
It became clear that what was needed wasn’t just more input from others — it required a fundamental shift in how I understood leadership.
The shared assumption was that leadership flowed from the top. I was at the top, and so my cultural context and leadership style dictated the terms for each decision. As a result, the team didn’t feel able to make any decisions without my direct involvement. The decision-making process was always on my terms: only I set the meeting agendas, only I highlighted the issues which required discussion, I solved most problems, I controlled the final decisions and made the final call.
The fix: polycentric leadership
Embracing polycentric leadership marked a turning point for me.
Joseph Handley defines polycentric leadership as “a collaborative, communal approach to leadership that empowers multiple centres of influence as well as a diverse array of leaders”.[1]
For me, it meant recognising that each team member brought unique insights, shaped by their cultural context and personal experiences, which were crucial to the success of our programme.
Practically, a polycentric approach to leading my team went beyond just listening to different perspectives — it meant actively placing decision-making power into the hands of my team members.
For example, regional coordinators developed strategic goals that suited the unique contours of their regions. The registry team was empowered to address student issues using their contextual understanding and wisdom, instead of arbitrarily enforcing blanket rules I had created. The academic team was encouraged to use their own experiences and cultural contexts to shape course content in ways that resonated meaningfully with our diverse student body.
I stopped attending every single meeting, resisting the urge to be involved in every discussion and decision. Instead, I stepped back to allow the team to lead meetings, trusting their judgment and giving them space to collaborate freely.
In one-on-one meetings, I spent more time listening, asking open-ended questions, and stepping back from setting every agenda. This signalled to the team that it was safe to be vulnerable, bring forward their own issues, and propose solutions.
We intentionally sought to foster a shared team culture. At the start of the year, we collectively decided on key values to guide our work: ‘ownership,’ ‘collaboration,’ ‘initiative,’ and ‘courage.’ In our monthly all-team meeting, we would spend time celebrating the ways in which team members had embodied these values in their work.
A polycentric approach took time to adapt to. It challenged many of our cultural assumptions around what leadership looks like and how it should be exercised. However, as we gradually adopted this approach, I noticed a healthy increase in collaboration, creativity, and ownership. The programme we were building was no longer just a reflection of my vision, but a true collaboration that reflected the diverse contexts we were serving.
Personal transformation
Ultimately, my understanding of what made the programme successful changed. Outcomes, student numbers, and completion rates were all still important, but I realised that a key measure of success was how we embodied Christlikeness in our work together.
Polycentric leadership is deeply rooted in a Trinitarian framework. As Joseph Handley notes, “Just as the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit lead in a polycentric fashion, we as leaders can do the same.”[2]
The unity and co-working of the Trinity offers a divine model for leadership —where team members are united by shared goals, and each person is empowered to contribute their God-given gifts and perspectives.
What did this mean for me?
I had to repent of my desire to control outcomes and take credit, instead recognising that this programme—and the team itself—belonged to God. Being ‘in charge’ became less about leading the charge and more about facilitating an environment where God’s people could flourish, using their gifts and perspectives to shape the work we were doing together.
“So, any thoughts on this?”
What was once an awkward question has become an invitation for genuine collaboration. More than often, I find myself responding to this question as people share their ideas and initiatives with me.
A polycentric approach has made our programme far richer and more impactful than anything I could have achieved alone. In the process I’ve found the joy in witnessing the diversity and depth of God’s people working together unity.
Joshua Pike
END NOTES
[1] https://polycentricleadership.com/what-is-polycentric-leadership/
[2] https://lausanne.org/about/blog/what-is-polycentric-mission-leadership
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
JOSHUA NURCOMBE-PIKE is passionate about global theological education and church planting with his family in the UK. Most recently, Joshua served as Head of The Shepherd’s Academy. In this role, he collaborated with global partners and led a cross-cultural team to create and deliver an innovative ministry training program for church leaders across Africa, Asia, and South America. Joshua holds a BA and MPhil in Theology from Cambridge University. He enjoys good coffee, travel, and playing board games — especially with friends!
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Images provided by Joshua Pike
