Build Trust

Ensure Visibility

• Leaders are out in the building interacting with staff multiple times per day and multiple times per week to provide easy access to interact with staff.

• Allows leaders to maintain a pulse at the site.

Engage in staff Check-Ins

• • Promotes physical and psychological safety

  • helps to identify issues early

  • provides continuous feedback to staff

Creating a Holding Environment (a safe place for dialogue without judgement)

• • Provides support without letting staff "off the hook"

  • Promotes both physical and psychological safety

Be an Active Listener

• • Helps to recognize the feelings and perspectives of others

  • Aids in resolving conflicts and builds respect

Establish Effective Communication

• Eliminates misunderstandings by providing clarity and direction

• Decreases conflict

• Increases engagement and build relationships

• See Resource Page for Discussion vs Dialogue

Build and Maintain Transparency

Share the "Why"

• Sharing the thinking behind the decision that was made helps staff to understand whether they agree or not.

• Sharing data related decisions supports decisions that were made.

Ensure Staff Consistency

• • Debriefing is a vital element to promoting consistency

  • It helps staff understand their job responsibilities without doubt

  • It encourages teamwork

  • Consistency promotes success

Take Risks

• Leaders must be willing to be vulnerable and take risks to solve problems regardless of tension that may occur to maintain transparency to move forward.

• "Break it to Make it" - shake up the culture to move forward

• Maintain a focus on the risk that you are taking to avoid chaos and confusion

• "The strongest leaders do not engage in work avoidance behaviors such as scapegoating, denial, focusing on technical issues, or focusing on individual action" (National Council’s Framework for Trauma Informed Leadership, 2020, p.3)

Utilize Both Advocacy and Inquiry

• • Leadership requires both advocacy (point of view/action) and inquiry (questioning/ clarification)

  • The balance between advocacy and inquiry is required to address different trauma events

  • See Resource Page for advocacy vs inquiry