Which leadership style encourages input and shared decision making?

• A. Input and shared decision making
• B. Strict top-down orders with limited input
• C. Letting subordinates make all decisions without guidance
• D. Focus on personal gains

Answer: (A)

Input from team members and shared decision making define participative leadership, a style that invites input from others and shares responsibility for what happens next. This approach strengthens engagement, leverages diverse perspectives, and often leads to more buy-in and better decisions because people feel their insights matter and are part of the process.

In this scenario, the option that embodies inviting input and collaborative decision making is the best fit. It stands in contrast to an autocratic approach where the leader gives orders with little input, or a laissez-faire style where subordinates decide with minimal guidance, or a focus on personal gains, which centers the leader’s interests over the team’s.