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Participative Leadership - 5 Reasons
You Should Apply It!
There's
a lot of
controversy about the benefits of applying
participative
leadership. Leaders and managers are
often skeptical to make
the step
forward and draw new strategies in approaching
employees
and changing the traditional ways of making decisions,
designing plans,
setting goals etc.
The
truth is that if you want to get the best
out of your employees you must start treating them as
partners.
It is not enough to simply assign tasks with specific
instructions on how to accomplish them. Things get done better and
faster when employees are given the
space and the autonomy to take responsibility to set goals
and
accomplish tasks utilizing their own expertise, making their own
analysis and decisions. This process does not happen overnight but it
is positively transformational and it requires consistent and
genuine commitment.
5 good
reasons why you should start embracing and applying it:
1.
Participative leadership adds real value to employee contribution in
decision making, problem solving, planning
and implementation. It focuses on developing them on many
levels while landscaping future goals and plans that benefit
the company.
2. Participative
leadership meets strategic needs/goals of companys by
supporting individuals to reach their personal development
goals. Developing people creates the foundation
for sustainable positive change.
3. Participative leadership
is transformational as it wakes the inner leaders in people
by reaching out to their deepest resources, expertise and natural
ability to lead. It removes barriers and opens doors.
4.
Participative leadership delivers results as it increases
productivity and provides a satisfactory ROI.
Employees
perform loyalfully and are more committed to achieve company's goals
and contribute to the long- term picture.
5. Participative
leadership is an opportunity for leaders to let go of their
parochial perspectives and do what is right to optimize the entire
company's capacity, not just their own area.
Where do you start?
-
Set the context for participative leadership - do a needs/asset-based
assessment with your employees. Identify not just the need but the
capacity, the potential, the resources, the hidden expertise, the
second-hand skills, hobbies, life experiences etc.
-
Develop a plan
with specific goals and specific roles for individuals based on their
strengths and expertise. Provide the big picture and let them see
their role in it.
- Explain how their roles are going to change and what that
means in terms of structuring meetings, making decisions, solving
problems etc. Clarify their space, responsibilites and their amount of
control over tasks and projects.
- Facilitate new communication channels and meet your
employees half-way.
- Design
early wins. It's important for employees to start seeing the
results of inclusiveness immediately. This way they will
become aware
of the values of the progress.
- Support your employees - uncover hidden obstacles and increase their
confidence in their abilities.
- Trust and "let go" - Place the power in their
hands and with the right information, the right tools and support they
will make you proud.
Related Articles:
Employee
Empowerment
Management
vs Leadership
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Outstanding Leaders
consider themselves a work in progress
Dr Franklin
C. Ashby
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Quote of
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Minds are like parachutes. They only function when they are open. Thomas Dewar
Management
Terms
Decentralization -
pushing power and decision
making downward.
MBO
- Management by Objectives.
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