Effective School Management

Persuasive decision-taking
This differs from the autocratic style in that the manager uses his or her
powers of advocacy to explain and justify his or her decision to his or her
staff, subsequent to the decision being taken. It is not open to negotiation.
This can be perceived as dishonest, in so far as staff are manipulated by slick
‘sales talk’ into accepting un fait accompli. It would, indeed, be dishonest if
such a decision masqueraded as ‘consultation’; but if it is presented as what it
really is, and not fudged, it is an acceptable type of decision-taking in the
right circumstances, and all of us use it in our daily lives. The secret of
persuading people effectively without consulting them is to try to
demonstrate understanding and sincere respect for their points of view; it
also helps to explain why the manager thought consultation was
inappropriate (see pp. 224–5).