Distributed leadership is a collaborative and autonomous approach to management, managed by a network of formal and informal leaders. It is defined by MIT Sloan professor Deborah Ancona and championed by Professor Alma Harris and James Spillane of Northwestern University. Distributed leadership is supported by evidence and effective practices, as explored in the book "Distributed Leadership in Practice," edited by Assistant Professor John Diamond and Professor James P. Spillane. This approach has been implemented and championed by professionals and educators such as Rachel Denee, Kate Thornton, and Cristina Segura for its potential to improve organizations and schools.