Collective Knowledge about Participative Leadership

Your Group's Assignment:  When you have completed your reading and web search, collectively respond to the questions below in preparation to "teach" your concept with your original "home group."

Using This Wiki

1. Select a recorder.
2. Recorder will enter in the space below the group's collective knowledge in each category. While the recorder is entering text into the wiki, group members stand behind, providing input!
3. To add text, click on the "Edit Page" button at the top left. You will be prompted to enter a password. The password is the name of our program. You will also be asked to enter your name so we can know who edited the page.
4. After you have logged in with a password and your first name, insert your cursor where you want to begin typing, and begin!
5. Don't forget to click the "Save" button at the bottom of your screen occasionally!

NOTE: Feel free to delete these instructions once you have read them!

Define the Theory

 Leader involves team members in making some, but not all, of the decisions.  Democratic process with a clear leader but this leader is not always the expert.

What are the outcomes?  When might this leadership style be used?

 The outcome is that a decision is made collaboratively in which there is team cohesion and buy in as a result of this process, which has involved everyone is involved.  This is often used when the the collective cognition will improve quality of the decision and this quality is more important than the speed or quantity of decision.  Collective cognition such as this works well when the leader has some knowledge but is not the expert and there are others that have additional knowledge that they can contribute to the collective pool of knowledge being used to make the decision.  This results in a better decision and implementation than the leader could achieve working independently.

This leadership style could be used when hiring teachers or administrators (ultimately the leader has the authority for making the final decision), curriculum council or any similar advisory board, ands when making building level policy decisions such as dress code, attendance or homework policies where someone other than the leader will be implementing the policy.

What are the critical skills an administrator would need to be able to demonstrate this leadership style?

 The leader needs to be be a good listener with the ability to ask clarifying questions ("question to clarity"), to be a strong group facilitator.  In this role of facilitator they have to be able to question participants to ensure that everyone understands and is moving towards consensus -- that they are "on the same page."  They would also need to be able to draw out each individual member's voices and opinions.  The leader, and the participants, must be able to give up some of their control, i.e. "check their egos at the door." 

An administrator has to have the knowledge and skills to know when this is an appropriate style and when it would not be appropriate.  For example this is not appropriate when dealing with confidential issues.