Anton Guinea
Entrepreneur, Speaker, bestselling author, and founder of The Guinea Group of Companies. For over 15 years, Anton has helped leaders move their teams to become psychologically safe, physically safe and overall better versions of themselves.
Have you ever noticed that teams perform better when decisions aren’t made behind closed doors?
After working with leaders across for years, I’ve seen one thing hold true: culture grows when decision-making is shared. When people feel included in the process, they don’t just comply with outcomes; they commit to them. They care, they think deeply, and they bring their best ideas forward. That’s the heartbeat of a great culture.
Why shared decision-making matters
I’ve learned the hard way that making all the calls myself might feel quicker in the moment, but it costs trust over time. People start to switch off when they don’t have a voice. When decisions are shared, something shifts. The team begins to own the mission with you, not just work under you.
One study showed that when teams practised what’s called heterogeneous shared leadership, mixing different leadership voices, their performance and innovation increased. Another study from ScienceDirect explained that shared decision-making restores agency and fairness. It’s not a buzzword. It’s a process that reminds people that their perspectives matter.
How shared decisions strengthen culture
When we start sharing decisions, three things happen immediately:
- Trust grows faster. People see that their input shapes outcomes. That trust becomes the soil where culture takes root.
- Ideas get broader. When everyone contributes, you get diversity of thought, something Google’s Project Aristotle confirmed years ago. Shared ideas create smarter outcomes.
- Accountability feels shared too. When the whole team builds the decision, they’ll stand behind it even when it’s tough.
I once worked with a team who felt stuck because every decision came from the top. I suggested something simple: the next time a choice came up, the leader would say, “You decide, I’ll support.” That moment changed everything. The leader held back just enough to let others lead, and the team grew right in front of them. That’s the power of shared leadership, and yes, it takes restraint.
As research on collaborative culture and empowerment leadership shows, when people feel included in decision-making, their sense of belonging and motivation increases. That’s how culture actually builds through involvement, not instructions.
Real steps to start sharing decisions
Here’s how I approach this with clients who want to shift from directive to inclusive leadership:
- Start small. Choose one decision that affects the team and invite input before locking it in.
- Be clear on boundaries. Tell the team what’s up for discussion and what’s fixed. Transparency prevents confusion.
- Ask the right questions. “What would success look like to you?” opens a very different dialogue from “What do you think?”
- Reflect together. After decisions, debrief. What worked? What didn’t? What did we learn?
Shared decisions aren’t chaos. They’re structure with voice. They’re leadership that multiplies capacity. When you share decisions, you share growth.
Moving from insight to action
Culture won’t grow through intention alone. It grows through repeated acts of shared trust. If you’re ready to turn shared decision-making into an everyday practice, here’s where I can help.
- Join the speak safe workshop where we practise open dialogue and shared leadership decisions in real scenarios.
- Explore how a leadership development workshop can build stronger, more inclusive teams.
- If you want a program built around your organisation’s culture, reach out through my contact page.
Culture doesn’t grow because of big statements or values posters. It grows when people feel heard, respected, and trusted to decide with you. When you share decisions, you share ownership, and that’s where the real magic happens.
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UPGRADE your Mindset
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