Participative Leadership

Participative leadership is a managerial style that invites input from employees on all company decisions. The staff is given pertinent information regarding company issues, and a majority vote determines the course of action the company will take. Participative leadership can be tied into the service supply profit chain, and also falls into with what Bill Marriott had once said, "...take care of your people and they will take care of the customers." I think it is very important for leaders today to really pay attention to how their associates are feeling. Keeping an open door policy will greatly increase team morale and following through with suggestions made by the staff can increase ownership in the workplace.

I once had a manager that based most of her decisions on the opinions of her staff. It was really fun watching our ideas come to life in a fast-paced business and see it be successful. We also saw what didn't work but instead of scolding us, this particular manager asked what we could've done better and differently. The team, including myself, took great pride in our store because we felt like we were apart of it and actually mattered.

Today, I don't make any executive decisions that would have a direct affect on my staff without consulting them on different approaches to a problem. I found that this created a positive synergy within the team and some amazing outcomes.