Terry McSween – Visible Leadership – What Do We Do

Abstract:
Dr. McSween will review studies on safety and leadership and their implications for the practice of leadership.  Several studies show the importance of the front-line supervisors and their relationship with their direct reports.  The context of this relationship is predictive of both employee retention, safety, as well as other performance metrics.  Systems often impose administrative requirements that keep supervisors in their offices and prevent them from spending time in work areas.  Several studies show that effective leaders are the ones that spend the most time with their direct reports.  Bullying, criticizing, and nagging are common practices that damage relationship (often related to the emotional byproducts of negative reinforcement and punishment inherent in these practices).  Positive feedback is often viewed as the solution but can be ineffective in the context of a damaged relationship.  The solution is found in the kind of questions that get asked and the listening that occurs, often prior to discussions of expectations or feedback. These practices are often more effective reinforcement than many of the simple positive feedback models taught by some practitioners.