The Employee Experience Survey gave faculty and staff across the University an opportunity to share what helps them feel connected to their work—and where there are opportunities to strengthen their experience.
For John Blackshear, Ph.D., vice president for student life, responding to that feedback starts with something fundamental: creating an environment where people know where their organization is going, have a voice in shaping how it gets there, and feel trusted to contribute their talents along the way.
His philosophy can be pictured as an inverted triangle. Rather than seeing himself at the top of the organization, Blackshear sees his role at the bottom—supporting and empowering the people around him.
“My job is to be under them as a strong pillar of support, to make sure that they can all rise to the occasion of serving this University at this moment.”
It’s a philosophy that reflects several themes heard through the Employee Experience Survey, including employees’ desire to feel connected to the University’s direction, involved in decisions that affect their work, supported by their leaders, and recognized for their contributions.
And Blackshear’s approach offers practical ideas any leader can put into action.
Bring people into the vision
Rather than developing a strategic plan behind closed doors and presenting it to employees, Blackshear and his team spent a year defining together who they are, what matters to them and where they want to go.
“You’ve got to have the people in it,” Blackshear said. “They have to believe in it, and it has to represent values that matter to them.”
That shared ownership continues through his leadership team. Blackshear makes sure leaders understand the broader vision, but then trusts them to bring it to life in ways that resonate with their own teams.
“They add brilliant flourishes to it in how they present and talk to their teams,” he said.
What other leaders can do: Look for opportunities to involve employees before decisions or plans are finalized. Ask what they see, what may be missing and what would help make the work successful.
Support people instead of solving everything for them
Blackshear’s inverted-triangle philosophy also shapes how he approaches problems. His job isn’t to have every answer; it’s to create the conditions for others to find them.
“I guide them. I deliberate with them. I don’t give them the answers,” he said. “I don’t want to be the smartest person in the room.”
That means giving people room to think, contribute and sometimes bring a different perspective.
“It’s beautiful to watch them talking to their teams, thinking things through, talking through it with me,” he said. “We don’t always have to agree.”
Blackshear learned the value of that kind of trust from leaders who recognized his own potential earlier in his career.
“They recognized my capacity, and they gave me a lot of room to practice it,” he said.
Sometimes that led to advancement. More often, he said, “it turned into an opportunity to do something that I was proud of.”
What other leaders can do: The next time someone brings you a problem, resist the urge to immediately provide the answer. Ask what they think should happen and what support they need from you to move forward.
Make appreciation visible—and meaningful
Recognition is another important part of Blackshear’s leadership approach. But for him, recognition isn’t limited to awards or formal programs. It begins with ensuring people know that their ideas, expertise, time and effort matter.
“They want their human intelligence, time and effort to be seen and appreciated,” Blackshear said. “They want to be part of the ultimate calculus of what’s important to this institution.”
He encourages his leadership team to recognize employees openly and share their successes.
“I’m really encouraging my leadership core around me to recognize openly—with appreciation and thanks—and share the good news across our team,” he said.
Blackshear practices that himself. When he hears about someone doing exceptional work, he makes sure others hear about it, too—including senior University leaders.
“There’s not a time that an accolade or word of appreciation comes to me that I don’t share it,” he said. “Every time, the president sees it, the provost sees it. I share it with them to say, ‘This is what your people are doing.’”
What other leaders can do: Don’t wait for a formal recognition opportunity. When someone does great work, tell them—and look for opportunities to tell others about their contribution.
Give people room to be great
If there is one lesson at the center of Blackshear’s approach, it may be this: leadership isn’t about demonstrating how much the leader can do. It’s about creating the conditions for other people to do their best work.
His description of himself as a “drum major” captures that idea.
“I don’t have to know how to play all the instruments. I don’t have to be able to read all the charts. I’ve got to keep the time,” Blackshear said. “It is truly, truly about these marvelous people.”
As teams across the University continue turning Employee Experience Survey feedback into action, Blackshear’s approach is a reminder that meaningful change doesn’t always require a new initiative. It can begin with the everyday choices leaders make: listen, involve, trust, support and recognize.
Try it with your team: Instead of asking, “How do I fix this?” ask, “What can I do as a leader to help my team solve it?”
