Creating a holding environment for multi-stakeholder change processes: two approaches to meaning-making for leading co-production

This study explores co-production – as a form of co-design – as a collaborative process where stakeholders and professionals co-create change through ‘doing with’, emphasising that transformative practices demand advanced meaning-making, a dimension often underexplored in understanding how such collaborative forms are facilitated. The investigation revealed that experienced leaders utilise two distinct meaning-making approaches to co-production that influence their roles and process dynamics. Both cultivate a collaborative environment wherein every stakeholder’s voice is valued. Approach 1 is grounded in equality, consensus, and a sense of responsibility for others. Approach 2 emphasises shared learning, self-care for the leader, and process responsibility while viewing co-production as an emergent, experimental practice. As complexity increases, conflict evolves into a less personal, more fluid element that is crucial for learning and growth. Moreover, power transitions from a hierarchical commodity to a shared, collective experience, thereby leading to a shift in leadership from a controlling to a more adaptive, ‘light touch’ approach. The study underscores the importance of recognising these meaning-making strategies to cultivate more mindful, inclusive co-production and co-design practices. The findings advocate for a reflective journey towards understanding co-production, oneself, and the collective to lead to practices that resonate with stakeholders’ diverse perspectives.