Leading with Trust: Decoding Survey Feedback and Empowering Your Team

Highlights from This Episode:

Trust Your Team: Effective leadership at higher levels involves empowering those under your command to take action and use their judgment. Micromanaging or demanding unnecessary reports undermines trust.

Actionable Over Emotional: When reviewing anonymous feedback, separate emotions from facts and look for valuable insights to drive positive change.

Respect Confidentiality: Leaders must respect the confidentiality of unit-specific information unless sharing is absolutely necessary. This approach builds trust and encourages honest feedback from team members.

Support, Don’t Micromanage: Offering support and guidance, rather than getting involved in the minutiae, allows subordinates to develop confidence and accountability in their roles.

Words Matter: Understanding the nuances of policy language (like “should” vs. “must”) is critical. Leaders should strive to make informed decisions that respect both regulations and the needs of their teams.

Until next time, #DBAA and don’t embarrass me. Peace.