Which approach to leadership gets the best results, leadership from the top or collaborative leadership?  Trick question, the answer is both.

Balance is the key here.  When to be directive and when to collaborative depends on a multitude of factors.  Not only when to employ a particular style is important but also the sequence, collaborate before direction from the top.

Lead from the Top

Top down leadership refers to a heirarchical structure with the fewest resources and the greatest power at the pinnacle.  Simplistically there are two classes of people in the organization, leaders and followers.

This approach can be very effective, basically the leader telling the followers what to do leveraging their power to get it done, granted by dint of their location in the heirarchy.

Collaborative Leadership

In this case there is no hierarchy.  Some roles may have more authority or power but getting things down is participatory and involves everyone.

Those with greater skills and earned power (e.g.,trust and respect) may catalyze the team, that is get things going without direct participation, but no-one is unilaterally directing.

Collaborative approaches tend to have superior outcomes. The effort to achieve the results is more efficient and of a higher quality.  This results from stronger buy in (driven by personal accountability) and the leverage of a diverse set of skills and capabilities.

Both Approaches?

Sounds like collaborative leadership is so much better why is there a need for leadership from the top.  Because, the direct approach is sometimes needed.

For example when collaborators flounder and a single direction can not be arrived at strong direction from the top may be the onlyway to move forward.

On the whole though the best balance between percent use of collaborative and directive leadership is probably in the 90/10 range.