Opinion: Building trust and embracing change

This week marks one year since I took on the role of president and CEO of SCO Family of Services. This past year has been a wonderful and rewarding journey of learning what it truly means to be an effective leader and how to build trust with our dedicated staff at every level of our organization.

Transitioning into this role was a significant change, not only for me but also for our entire team. My priority was to navigate this period thoughtfully, ensuring that our staff felt supported and reassured. In the nonprofit sector, retaining staff can be challenging, and turnover is a particular issue in the leadership ranks when there is a CEO change. I was not immune from this change, but I was fortunate to have inherited a deep and experienced bench at SCO resulting in the promotion of long-term leaders to executive leadership. Tapping into this workforce and partnering with the team gave a sense of certainty to our staff as the organization was undergoing a number of changes.

A hallmark of my leadership style is fostering an environment of openness and transparency. During my transition, I made it clear to every member of our team that we were embarking on this journey together, emphasizing that their input was crucial to our success. I wanted them to feel empowered and excited about the future of our organization and their place within it.  

Acknowledging the inherent discomfort that often accompanies change, I chose to be vulnerable with my staff, using candor and humility as guiding tenets. This approach helped build trust over time. Early in my tenure, we held “listen and learn” tours and town hall meetings to explain our next steps and alleviate concerns, ensuring everyone understood that these changes were intended to benefit us all in the long run. Today, regular team meetings and quarterly town halls where staff can attend and hear about the state of the agency, our achievements, our challenges, our vision, and ask questions of their leaders are part of our organization’s rituals.  

We also prioritized creating a space for our employees to voice their feelings honestly. We worked hard to intentionally cultivate an office culture that encourages transparency and open communication. We solicited feedback from our staff on what they liked, what they didn’t like and how we could improve. Initially, many were hesitant to share their thoughts, but over time, they became more forthcoming. This shift towards open communication allowed us to set clearer expectations and foster a culture where information was shared freely, enhancing our overall efficiency.

As I settled into my leadership role, I sought advice from those who had undergone similar transitions. Embracing humility and recognizing that mistakes are part of the process was essential. Confidence and self-trust were crucial, even as I acknowledged that I wouldn’t have all the answers immediately. Understanding that perfection is unattainable and that it's impossible to please everyone helped maintain my sanity. The key is to keep the conversation with staff ongoing and to remain transparent.

Reflecting on this past year, I am proud of the progress we’ve made together. The journey is far from over, but with continued open communication and mutual trust, I am confident in the bright future we are building at SCO Family of Services.