A fine balance – how we share leadership of Data Orchard

Sian Basker (left) and Mads Spinks (right) are Co-Chief Executives at Data Orchard

Job-sharing a Chief Executive role

Data Orchard is a small social enterprise, started in 2013 by eight people, all passionate about using data for making the world a better place.

Why a job share?

We began the company with a completely flat structure, and some fairly ill-defined roles. After four years, we had 18 part time people working for us as employees and associates, and around 25 client projects on the go. With the business continuing to grow, it was clear this set up wasn’t going to be sustainable. So in 2018, after a thorough examination of our business practice, we agreed a restructure, with the two of us (Sian and I) job-sharing the Chief Executive role on a trial basis.

When we researched job sharing a leadership role, it was a relatively uncommon practice in the UK, despite the increasing adoption of flexible working practices. A survey by Timewise showed that a growing number of employers were weighing up the pros and cons of job-sharing for senior positions. Notable job shares were at Ministry of Defence, the Guardian, Lloyds Banking Group and the Green Party. Our research also indicated that the key to success when job sharing roles was trust, good communication and good deployment of skills –all things we felt our partnership provided.

Three years on

After regular reviews with our Chair and board, we're now entering our fourth year of this somewhat unusual arrangement. We’re delighted to say it works for us. Here's why:

We are led by shared values

We are both leaders and passionate practitioners, united in our aim to help organisations use data for better decisions and greater impact. We work well together as we have a similar ethos (values led) and ambitions for Data Orchard.

We have complementary strengths

Our differences are our strength. One of us likes things to be perfect, the other has a much more ‘fit for purpose/get it done’ approach. We’ve also found balance in a mix of external vs internal focus, global vs local perspectives.

This balance ensures we are productive, while also delivering quality. We lead on different areas of running the business (dividing up leadership on marketing, evaluation, digital tools, HR, finance, and compliance), and share responsibility for business planning and bringing in new work.

We support each other

Job sharing the leadership role makes us both feel less exposed, as we can cover for each other if and when crises arise in our lives. This has been so important during recent experiences of bereavement or illness. It means we can still do the work we love, and keep learning and sharing with the team.

A sustainable set up

We are both at a similar life-stage, with caring responsibilities as mothers and daughters. In other words, being able to share the leadership role helps us both with work-life balance, and has enabled us to continue to grow a small business and steer it through stormy and calm times.

“Collaboration is one of our core values. It’s great to feel we live this in our approach to leadership and decision making. Having an equal to share responsibility, fears and anxieties, and hopes and dreams with is wonderful.” Sian Basker.

We feel supported and appreciated by each other, providing a safe sounding board for each other’s mad ideas, and keeping each other grounded through any struggles we may face. We have laughed a lot, ranted a bit, and shared a few Friday afternoon G&Ts.

We’re so lucky to have been able to share this experience together, and to be able to look back over the last three years of shared leadership and celebrate the ways that we’ve made it work.

Here’s to many more successes and Friday afternoon cocktails.