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a ready-to-run workshopShared Decision-Making
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Leading Shared Decision-Making (Workshop)

Decisions made with staff, rather than handed down to them, earn more buy-in, better ideas, and stronger ownership. But shared decision-making done poorly, unclear, token, or on the wrong decisions, breeds frustration. Leading it well means knowing when and how to involve people genuinely.

Key takeaway

Decisions made with staff earn more buy-in, better ideas, and stronger ownership, but done poorly, unclear, token, or on the wrong decisions, they breed frustration; leading shared decision-making well means knowing when and how to involve people genuinely.

Format
Leadership session
Length
45 minutes
Group size
Any (works 4-40)
Who can run it
A school leader
You will need
Slides (5)Printed handoutA decision in mindA timer
Aligned to
Learning Forward: Transformational ProcessesInTASC 10: Leadership & CollaborationResearch on shared decision-making
Share / assign

Why it works

Involving staff in decisions, shared or participatory decision-making, can produce better decisions (more information and perspectives), stronger buy-in and ownership, and a culture of trust and collective efficacy. But it must be done well: not every decision should be shared (some are the leader's to make, and pretending otherwise wastes time or feels manipulative), the type of involvement should be clear (are staff informing, advising, or deciding?), and the process must be genuine (token input that is ignored breeds cynicism). Leading shared decision-making means being clear about which decisions are shared and how, involving people genuinely and meaningfully, honoring the input (acting on it or explaining why not), and matching the decision to the right level of involvement. Done well, it builds ownership, better decisions, and trust; done poorly, it damages all three.

The research: Research on shared and participatory decision-making.

The run-of-show

Choose your slot. The agenda, timings, and length update to match.

    The core activity: share decisions genuinely and clearly

    Leaders leave clearer on which decisions to share and how.

    Genuine involvement, clear rolesShared decision-making earns buy-in and better decisions, when it is genuine, clear about the type of involvement, and honors the input. Share the right decisions, genuinely.

    Facilitator notes

    Token input, ignored, breeds cynicismAsking for input you ignore, or being unclear about involvement, damages trust. Be clear about which decisions are shared and how, involve people genuinely, and honor the input.

    Adapt it

    Participant handout

    One page for every teacher. Print it, or save it as a PDF.

    K12 Academics · Professional Learning

    Shared Decision-Making: genuine and clear

    <b>Involve well:</b> clarify which decisions are shared and the type of involvement, involve genuinely, and honor the input.

    1. Which decisions are genuinely shared and which are mine to make:
    2. How I clarify the type of involvement (informing, advising, deciding):
    3. How I involve people genuinely:
    4. How I honor the input:
    5. A decision to share better:

    Make it stick

    Genuine and clear:

    Common questions

    Should every decision be shared?
    No. Some decisions are the leader's to make, and pretending to share them wastes time or feels manipulative. Be clear about which decisions are shared, and match each to the right level of involvement.
    How do I do shared decision-making well?
    Be clear about which decisions are shared and the type of involvement (informing, advising, deciding), involve people genuinely, and honor the input, act on it or explain why not. Avoid token input.
    What goes wrong with it?
    Token input that is ignored, unclear expectations about involvement, or sharing the wrong decisions, all breed cynicism and frustration. Be clear, genuine, and honor the input.

    Go deeper

    Build it into a bigger day

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    Delegation & Empowering Staff
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    Decision-Making for Leaders
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    Trust & Psychological Safety