April 2005

Move Toward Participative Management

By: Dutch Holland

     "Participative management" has been discussed and championed for at least the last 20 years. The benefits of it have been supported by various studies and managers with first-hand experience. And yet, the steps neces­sary to move toward participation aren’t always that clear.

     If you truly want participative management to work, it's best to take a gradual approach that prepares both yourself and your employees for a successful experience.

The components of a job

     First, it's helpful to analyze what participative management means from an individual employee's view. Most jobs are made up of three elements (see box above):

§         decisions (about what work will be done and how)

§         set up (to do the work)

§         execution (of the work).

In non-participative management, the manager makes the decisions about the work and the staff (e.g., Industrial Engineers) sets it up: workers become involved only when it's time to do the work.

In its simplest form, participative management means workers share in decisions about the work they'll be doing. They share with managers in decision-making and with the staff in the set up of the work.

A continuum of styles

     No clear, sharp break exists between participative and non-participative management. Instead, there is a con­tinuum of styles ranging from boss­-centered to employee-centered (see box below). When making a shift, it's easier to move gradually along the continuum. That way you and your workers build the skills and confidence necessary to make the full shift.

     If your style has traditionally been boss-centered-you've made all the key decisions on your own-you will find it less threatening and more practical to move to the P₁ style first. Here, you will still be making the decisions, but you will do so only after you have had input from the workers involved. You clearly explain that you will still be making the decisions, but you will not do so until you have heard ideas from everyone involved. When you make your P₁ decision, you consider what you've heard. And you follow up by explaining your decision to those who've given input.

     The next step in the shift would be the move to the P₂ style. In this case, you and your employees reach con­sensus on decisions. You are still involved, but as one of the key players. You are an important influence in the process used to make decisions, ensuring the process is a reasonable one. (It isn't just a vote, for instance.) But, the ultimate decision is shared.

     As self-managed work teams become more prevalent, they add an additional segment along the continuum--one that could be labeled P₃. In those situations, you turn decision making over to the team. However, you have not "abdicated." Before you remove yourself from the process, you ensure the team is fully prepared to use appropriate processes and make reasonable decisions.

     Managers will want to stop short of the "abdicratic" end of the continuum. This "hands-off" position usually "melts down" to a "no decisions" situation.

     In fact, organizations (and/or individual managers) will need to decide which style fits with which decisions. Some decisions aren't worth a group's time. However, decisions that will have a major impact on processes and how people do their work may best be made through a P₂ style. Effective implementation is more likely because the people asked to carry it out are already committed to it.

Begin your shift

     To begin moving into a more participative management style, think about the types of decisions you make during a business cycle. List the ones where it would be helpful to get input. Make another list of those where consensus would add value. Begin by using the P₁ style for the first list, being sure to follow up with em­ployees by explaining the decisions you did make and why. After you and your workers become comfortable with them, try using a P₂ approach with the second list.

Dutch Holland, CEO of HDI, has worked as a management consultant for 30 years, helping organizations and leaders manage and implement change successfully. And if you enjoyed this short article, you'll love his book, Red Zone Management: Changing the Rules for Pivotal Times (Dearborn Trade, Chicago, Fall 2001, released with new cover by WinHope Press (Houston) October 2004)). Check your local bookstores or read a review at amazon.com or barnesandnoble.com! Contact Dutch at 713.877.8130.

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