The charity should actively seek to develop participative practices as consultative arrangements contribute to the achievement of corporate objectives through improved commitment which is a direct result of an understanding of and involvement in agency wide management decisions. This is one of those 'in' phrases in lots of charities. Throughout much of the voluntary sector you'll find that organisations are trying to encourage a style of management which involves people in decision making processes far more so than in the private sector. Participative management breaks down the barriers and encourages consultation between management and staff. In the ideal situation it draws on the experience, knowledge and ideas of all people in such activities as designing jobs and setting realistic team objectives, whilst recognising that the final responsibility of management is to make decisions and allocate resources to meet agency objectives.
Participative management gives everyone a say in issues affecting their work.
You'll find that a number of charities are actively trying to foster a culture of participative management albeit as you'd expect some are further advanced than others - those with dynamic management teams appear to be further ahead than others as you'd expect. It might be a good way for you at interview to gauge how go-ahead a charity is, if you ask about their views on participative management. The truth is that it is a natural extension of the underlying philosophy in many organisations to recognise the important role which their people play. It is also naturally enough an easier management concept to grasp if your business is about caring for others rather than making a profit. The input of people must be on the basis of all the facts and full understanding.