Paulo Freire changed adult learning.  His participatory approach was revolutionary and continues to shape adult education. It is a collaborative approach centered on dialogue and problem-posing, in which teacher and student are “knowledgeable equals in a situation of genuine two-way communication” (Freire, 1973, p. 52). It is powerful and effective when done correctly in the right context.  I’m a big advocate and use Freirian approaches when I train.

However, it’s not the best approach for leadership…and a lot of leaders are employing it, even if they don’t realize it.

The schematic at the top of the article shows how participatory the Freirian model is – it’s obvious why it’s such a successful learning approach. But, it’s also obvious why it’s a terrible approach for leadership.

8 Hints You May Be a Freirian Leader

  1. All team members are welcome at all meetings.
  2. You want to develop an egalitarian team culture of equals.
  3. All team members are invited to provide strategic input even in areas that are in not their areas of expertise.
  4. You use the word “fair” a lot.
  5. You think in order for the team to have a positive culture it has to have a “flat” non-hierarchical organization.
  6. You hesitate to position yourself as the leader because you believe everyone has areas of expertise and leadership.
  7. You want the entire team to engage in dialogue about any issue.
  8. You allow, and even encourage, collaborative decision making with the team.

Why Freirian Leadership Isn’t Effective

There are so many positive words in that list – welcome, egalitarian, equals, fair, positive, collaboration – using a Freirian approach to leadership has got to be a good thing, right? Wrong!  And here’s why:

  • It’s chaotic: This approach works in education because dynamic environments encourage learning. But the goal of a team is to produce results and this unstructured model inhibits productivity. Decisions can turn into debates. There’s no clear process or path. It’s so “evolutionary,” allowing for a flow of ideas, that any new idea can drive the team in a new direction.
  • It’s Inefficient: It’s not streamlined. Different people may be doing similar things creating, at best redundancies, at worst total confusion. Most importantly, it makes is hard for experts on your team to do what they do best. Instead everyone weighs in when you already have someone who knows the best and most efficient way to do something.
  • It doesn’t manage expectations: Because everyone has a seat at every table team, members may form unrealistic expectations about their role. There’s often scope creep into areas that are more interesting to a person, leaving core activities unstaffed.
  • It hampers mentoring and growth: Because there’s a level playing field, junior staff are denied the opportunity to work under an experienced member of the team and hone their skills through mentorship.
  • It’s ineffective: A team with a Freirian approach often lacks strategic direction and measurable goals. The organic nature of the Frierian approach makes structured planning a challenge. Because this approach is so dynamic, it often lacks the ability to monitor progress towards goals. The direction of the team is constantly shifting so there is no measureable impact.
  • It lacks a captain: Frierian approach creates a leaderless team – much like a boat without a captain, it’s likely to flounder. Leadership sets the vision, plots the course and helps team members understand their roles and what they are working toward. Without that leadership the team will lack a shared vision of success and the plan to get there.

Breaking the Freirian Cycle

So if you identified with any of the 8 hints it may be time to take a look at your leadership style. You can create a collaborative, positive culture without letting everyone participate in everything.  Except for team meetings, meetings should involve only those on a particular project.  And speaking of those team meetings, use them for updates, not decision making as that gets into group think rather than collaboration.  Collaboration comes from working together to implement projects, not from collective decision-making.  Formalizing a chain of command provides structure and mentorship to younger staff – something far more valuable than being everyone’s “equal” when you have no experience.  Having a strategic plan rather than an organic evolution of ideas provides the team opportunities to deliver big wins – boosting team morale and feelings of value.

So next time you start using Freirian buzz words and you’re not in a learning setting, stop yourself. What is it that you really want to accomplish?  How can you do that in an organized structure and as a strong leader?  Devi has decades of leadership training and project management.  We’d be happy to help you think through your own leadership style and how to build a positive team that delivers positive results.