This blog is part of our Unlocking Collective Leadership: 7 Conditions for Lasting Impact series, highlighting the conditions that help P20 systems move from individual effort to shared leadership.
The Power of Decisions Made Together
What can happen when a few people make all the decisions for the many? In top-down decision-making, staff disengage, the same few voices dominate every meeting, and improvement efforts often fail to materialize.
It’s not that people don’t care. It’s that they don’t see themselves in the work. Instead of co-owning goals as a team, formal leaders are chasing buy-in.
But when influence is shared, meaning staff across roles have real ownership over decisions, collaboration deepens, silos break down, and solutions get sharper.
This is what shared influence looks like in action. It’s not about everyone agreeing. Rather, it’s about everyone contributing.
What is Shared Influence?
The sixth condition in collective leadership, shared influence, happens when decision-making power and problem-solving responsibilities are distributed across a team and not hoarded at the top.
It honors each person’s expertise and perspective, regardless of their title.
In P20 education, that can look like:
- Teachers designing new assessment strategies
- Paraprofessionals contributing to student support planning
- Counselors leading school-wide wellness initiatives
- Cross-role district teams co-creating improvement plans
When influence is shared, leadership isn’t a job title. It’s a function of your team’s culture.
Shared Influence in Practice
Shared influence doesn’t happen by accident. It’s built through intentional structures and cultural norms that invite people into the work, not just to implement decisions, but to shape them.
When done well, shared influence leads to:
- A team culture where diverse perspectives guide key decisions,
- Systems that elevate expertise beyond formal leadership roles, and
- Opportunities for staff to lead in ways aligned with their strengths.
It also improves the quality of decisions. When multiple voices are at the table, teams are more likely to challenge assumptions, identify blind spots, and build solutions that reflect the real-world needs of their community.
At Blythewood High School, shared influence is an integral piece of the school’s identity. Structures are in place for teachers to take ownership of major school-wide decisions, including the design of the professional development plan. For their team, this means teacher-led sessions and opportunities for staff to choose professional development (PD) aligned with their own goals and growth areas.
That same spirit of shared leadership extends to students, who have helped shape their own learning experiences, influencing the extracurricular offerings available at school.
As Principal Matt Sherman puts it: “Collective leadership is not another thing on your plate; it is the plate.”
As a result, Blythewood has seen staff return year after year, with a rare occurrence of vacancies, and when openings do arise, they’re quickly filled. When staff are invited to lead, they stay.
Are you practicing Shared Influence?
A lack of shared influence can lead to burnout. When team members sense that they have no ability to influence or be influenced by others, they become more isolated, and so does the work.
Use these three questions to reflect on a recent decision your team made that impacted people, time, or resources.
- Who shaped the decision and how?
Whose input was gathered? Who offered ideas? Whose feedback changed the outcome? If you’re not sure, chances are influence wasn’t widely shared. - Was the process transparent and inclusive?
Did everyone understand what was being decided, how they could contribute, and when a decision would be made? Even limited decisions can be made transparently. - Who led the work, and who implemented it?
Shared influence means leadership doesn’t stop at the top. It shows up in facilitation, ownership, and accountability across roles. If the same people always lead, the team may be stuck in hierarchy mode.
Resources for Shared Influence
Want to dig deeper?
This self-assessment rubric helps your team explore where shared influence is working and where it may be absent.
Use this tool to surface strengths, name opportunities, and plan your next step.
Download Assessing Your Current State, Shared Influence Rubric
Want help bringing collective leadership to life in your system? Learn more about Mira Education’s approach or reach out to start a conversation.
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