We value the act of ‘debriefing’ too lightly. It’s a calendar entry which is easily moved to make way for an urgent meeting, the next big thing – you get the drift! It’s talked about, referenced in the project plan however; I’m surprised at how little ‘debriefing’ occurs in life.

Debriefing is a facilitation skill involved in change – one which is useful for leaders, project managers, parents, partners, CEOs …. well, just about anyone. I’ve even heard my son’s 3rd grade teacher mention the ‘D’ word!

With a military history, debriefing allows people to have a voice, to share their account and it’s an opportunity to divulge information. It’s a morale booster and at the opposite end of the continuum it can be emotionally draining if grief is being debriefed.

Picking the right time to debrief is tricky – I lean towards closer to the event than later. If you’re focusing on the emotional component, it magnifies with time – possibly distorting the facts which if prompted initially, people will take notes along the way and be able to provide meaningful and useful data.

Another component of the skill is the use of questions: used to extract information, maintain the conversation flow, and seek clarity and commitment.

Most importantly, debriefing is sexy if you act on the information. If your followers see change, then you’re likely to be respected which makes leadership very satisfying.

What’s your culture like? Is it “toxic”? The media hyped outcome of The Bluestone Review which was completed to understand the poor performance of the Australian Olympic swimming team at the 2012 London Olympics has produced a plethora of scathing language to describe its findings.

To be categorised as toxic is tough for the young talented people who form the team however, a culture of an organisation is created by many components and it boils down to the people and the leadership. I am a fan of the Chinese quote “A fish rots from the head,” generally referenced to failing boards.

To include the ‘swimmers’ into the equation identifies two factors stemming from the 'rot' of the leadership: Responsibility & Accountability (which I wrote about in my last Blog). Was this missing?

A non-toxic culture is one where everyone knows what is expected of them and of everyone on ‘the team’. There is a total understanding of how things operate and who to go to. And, and it’s a BIG AND, everyone knows the behaviours expected within the organisation and everyone is equal to ‘call’ a ‘toxic’ behaviour. People feel comfortable to give feedback to their ‘boss’ if they are not behaving the right way at the right time.

I hope that there is leadership development programs for all athletes aspiring for any competition at any level which represents our country and more importantly a program for those who support these athletes achieve their goals.