There are many characteristics that facilitate participatory and shared decision making. According to Bloom, (1995) at the heart of this process is trust. In child care centres, like all organizations, things tend to get done because of relationships, not because of job descriptions or formal roles. As a result interpersonal trust is essential if shared decision making is to take hold.(p.59). The supportive interpersonal relationships that exist within an organisation are the cornerstone for effective leadership and are embedded in participative management. I work in a Sessional kindergarten setting which received an exceeding rating in all National quality areas, when discussing leadership with the director she said, I felt that I could ask any staff member to help and they would go beyond their role to do this. This was because of the trusting interpersonal relationships which had been established and the participative management
What is participative management? According to Bloom (2011)
participative managements two main tenets are collaboration and shared decision making. The participatory-leadership website (2016) defines Participative management as:
The participatory leadership paradigm is based
on respect and engagement. It constructively focuses energy in every human to human encounter. A more advanced, more democratic and more effective model of leadership, it harnesses diversity, builds community, and creates shared responsibility for action. It deepens individual and collective learning yielding real development and growth.
Bloom (2011) also emphasises that when executed effectively
participative management can yield such benefits as improved employee morale, increase job satisfaction, and deeper staff commitment to the organization (p. 5). Participative management works from the premise that if people are involved in the decision making process they feel empowered, take ownership of the decision and follow through with their commitments to see the decision to it fruition. Bloom (1995) states that: Participatory management is based on two operating assumptions-that individuals have the right to be involved in making choices that affect their lives, and that people who are involved in making decisions will have a greater stake in those decisions than those who are not ( p. 55).
In order to adopt a participatory leadership style you need to facilitate
a collaborative and shared decision making approach. Collaborative leadership and collective responsibility facilitate participatory management and shared leadership (Rodd, 2013). Not all decisions within an early childhood setting dictate a collaborative approach and the decision making process is often prescribed by the type of early childhood setting and the nature of the decision to be made. An effective leader is aware of these. Bloom (1995) suggests a framework for understanding shared decision making which uses four questions: Who are the stakeholders? What are the different types of decisions to be made? What are the possible levels of participation? What are the external constraints? (pp. 56-58). When dissecting the answers to these questions the leader will have a greater understanding of what decisions fall under the realm of a shared decision making approach. This will help determine the levels of participation for each of the stakeholders and is the first step in the process.
Public Sector Competency-Based Development and Self-Assessment Handbook: A Self Assessment Handbook for Public Servants, Their Supervisors and Trainers