IDD Leader

Is this a "good idea" or something that will actually move the needle when it comes to reducing staff turnover? This is Part 2 of my conversation with Dr. Dennis Reid, and in it he unpacks practical steps to take at your organization to most effectively decide how to address staff turnover.  We all know that staff retention is a complex issue and it can be tough to know "What's...

In Part 1 of this powerful interview, Dr. Dennis Reid—renowned author of The Supervisor’s Guidebook—shares how to train supervisors effectively, what to do if a supervisor is struggling, and how to start developing future leaders from your DSP team. If you want to improve staff performance, reduce drama, and build stronger supervisors, this episode is packed with practical gold. 🎧 Watch to discov...

The problem isn't the people. It's the process.  Fix your recruiting process and your vacancies will drop. This episode offers 12 simple changes that make a huge difference in improving your hiring funnel. And if you want a blank Hiring Funnel Worksheet to help you in that process, get yours at iddleader.com/funnel .  Send us Fan Mail Quick Question: Do your frontline supervisors sometim...

If you're at all involved in the hiring process of Direct Support Professionals (or you oversee the people who do), then this episode is for you!  Drop your agency's job vacancy rate and stop burning through overtime costs. Leverage the power of behavior science to stop getting ghosted on interviews, to keep your best candidates engaged, and to stop the "Swiss cheese effect" th...

Tired of the revolving door of staff? Consider these three secrets to increase your staff retention--and the quality of services you provide. Send us Fan Mail Quick Question: Do your frontline supervisors sometimes unintentionally contribute to staff turnover? It happens so easily because... Most supervisors were never trained to lead.  Get The 7 Quiet Danger Signs Your Supervisors Are Burning Out...

Anyone involved in management knows the painful decision: "Can this underperforming team member be changed or do I need to let them go?" This episode breaks down the behavioral science of why this dynamic often drags on for too long at IDD agencies (and at many other businesses) and how to quickly implement a system that makes it clear when to help them change and when to cut them loose....

Too often, mission-driven organizations end up driving their people into burnout. We've all seen it--but how can you burnout-proof your workforce? In this episode, Nate breaks down the behavioral science of burnout and provides three easy next steps to stop it at your organization. Send us Fan Mail Quick Question: Do your frontline supervisors sometimes unintentionally contribute to staff tur...

Sweaty palms and a knot in your stomach? Or a raised voice and regrets later? Whatever your 'style' of handling tough conversations with employees, you can benefit from a clear, 3-sentence script that will help guide you through these uncomfortable moments. In this episode, Nate breaks down the science behind tough conversations with employees and how you can make them easier, less-stres...

Many human services leaders struggle with finding the right balance between work and the rest of life. It's a demanding, heart-and-soul line of work that lends itself to frequent crises which can happen at all hours.  And yet, neglecting to promote (or protect) work/life balance for yourself or your staff is a recipe for burnout... and for perpetuating the revolving door of staff and leaders...

If you've ever wondered about the long-term impact of investing in your staff, Core Services has been innovative and unrelenting in their efforts... And they are getting a huge return on investment! Executive director Nick Filarelli explains why Core Services "bares their soul" on their website, how they dropped to an astoundingly low vacancy rate, and the ingredients to their staff...

What if I told you that a zero-dollar, 15-minute strategy could transform your team? Would you believe me? If your frontline supervisors ( or you ) are constantly putting out fires, can't get your team to take initiative, or are the last to know when something's going wrong--this episode is for you. In it, Nate will unpack the art and science of a strategy that will turn these dynamics a...

When someone gets promoted to supervisor, it's usually because they had great performance, not necessarily because they had great people skills. Sure, if they have been providing direct support, they will be good at that aspect of people skills, but what about providing feedback, addressing concerns, and asking questions to reduce team drama?  It's a different skillset! How can we help m...

Sometimes, you know they're on the verge. But, is there a way to win them back?? Good news--the answer is yes ! In this episode, Nate will discuss who's worth trying to save, a simple step-by-step process to win them back, and how to proactively build an experience that people don't want to leave.  Plus, it covers common stuck spots and how to overcome them. Send us Fan Mail Quick Q...

When we’re experiencing BIG challenges from high staff turnover, we’re tempted to launch BIG initiatives to solve it. “Let’s add a huge retention bonus!” or “Let’s double-down on DSP Appreciation Week!” Often, these big efforts fall flat. Truth is, the employee experience isn’t fixed in big initiatives–it’s fixed in the day-to-day experience for your employees. But that’s a beautiful thing, becaus...

What does it look like when "employee empowerment" goes beyond corporate catchphrase and actually helps to shape the culture of an organization?  In today’s episode, DSP Council members from Ohio-based Welcome House describe how their agency has launched an initiative that has impacted them personally and professionally.  If you've wondered how to move the needle on DSP retention an...

Sometimes leaders are caught between a rock and a hard place. Would you rather promote an employee who isn't quite ready or roll the dice and try to hire from outside? Would you rather take your time onboarding new hires until they're fully ready or bring faster relief to your already-stretched-thin staff? If you are wrestling with tough staffing decisions--I feel your pain. There are no...

What if you only had 60 days to turnaround the high employee turnover at your organization... Could you do it? Where would you start? In this episode, Nate provides 3 strategies to see fast results with lowering your turnover, and no it does not involve retention bonuses or better benefits. Although it takes a little while to see the full impact of today's decisions on your turnover rate, you...

In the IDD field, we talk a lot about person-centered care for the people we serve—but what happens when we use that same philosophy for our staff? Does it work without making our workforce self-serving?  Can it apply to every level within our organization? In this episode, Nate breaks down how to apply a person-centered approach to your employees and your leadership so that you have LOWER stress...

Want your new hires to have a great onboarding experience? Yeah, that's one thing. But actually pulling it off? That another thing, entirely.  In today's interview episode, Nate talks with Scott Burtsfield, Amy Schultz, and Jodi Freitag from Vocational Training Center in Fargo, ND about the incredible results they have seen from their onboarding program: "Roadmap to Success". G...

High turnover (or low-performing) teams are usually struggling with data--either they aren't completing it properly or they're doing it but the results look bad. So how could data help fix things?  Most data is outcome data. It's a lagging measure . But when you implement leading measure data, you suddenly help the team see what actions they need to take now, in order to get better...

Is your organization toxic? And if so, what can you do about it? In this episode that speaks to both direct support professionals and the leaders of human services agencies, Nate describes how if broken systems go unchecked, or known problems don’t get addressed… things can get bad. And he unpacks clear action steps you can take to make things better (or leave!).  Send us Fan Mail Quick Question:...

How do you overcome staff retention challenges if you're a leader at a new or smaller human services organization?  In this episode, Julie Bisi, founder of Artemis Supports, shares her insights and experience--including several innovative strategies she uses to increase staff retention. To learn more about Artemis or to contact Julie, go to artemissupports.com . Send us Fan Mail Quick Questio...

Stop the feeling of overwhelm. Employee retention doesn't have to be soooooo hard. Yes, there are many factors involved, but fundamentally, it is all about making a positive employee experience for everyone in your organization. And in this episode Nate shares three tried and true strategies that will help you retain more staff so that you and your organization can keep your focus where you&a...

It's no secret: successful frontline supervisors are essential for your organization's success. And to be successful, they not only need the ability to do the frontline care but they also need to be able to MANAGE PEOPLE.  Unfortunately, when situations arise in which frontline supervisors are struggling to manage their direct reports, they often are assigned more trainings with little r...

Stop *doing* DSP retention initiatives and instead build a culture. It's easy to slap another initiative on it rather than intentionally designing a workplace that staff love. But don't worry! In this episode Nate breaks down the Six Pillars of Staff Retention and gives you practical next steps to help build a retention-focused culture at your organization.  Send us Fan Mail Quick Questi...