This article explores cultural factors impeding members of the school community from engaging in shared decision-making (SDM) processes. It reports on findings from a larger qualitative research study of SDM in Egypt's secondary schools. The purpose of the study was to identify barriers to SDM, using data collected from nine general secondary schools in Damietta County. Identifying these barriers is crucial as Egypt moves towards decentralisation with SDM being a key component in this move. Whilst SDM has been extensively researched in Western countries, little is known about it in the Egyptian context. The findings indicate that the highly centralised nature of the educational system was perceived to be a major barrier. However, school culture also seemed to play a significant role in hindering both teachers and head teachers from engaging in SDM processes. There seems to be a mismatch between the collegial, collaborative culture embedded in SDM as an imported policy and the more traditional cultural norms prevalent in Egyptian schools. (Contains 1 note.)