Leading Through the DSP Staffing Crisis: How Trust and Buy-In Transform Teams
Have you ever felt like no matter how much effort you pour into your team, the stress just keeps coming back? The overtime shifts. The open positions you can’t seem to fill. The frustration you sense from staff who feel unheard or stretched too thin.
If that sounds familiar, you’re not alone. In fact, you’re right in the middle of a nationwide crisis. Across the country, IDD provider organizations are facing record staffing shortages. Vacancies and overtime are at historic highs, and many leaders feel like they’re carrying the weight of problems they can’t solve.
But here’s the truth: the way forward isn’t found in working harder or adding more policies. It comes from a shift in how we lead.
The Struggle Leaders Face
Leadership in human services is uniquely challenging. You’re responsible for people’s wellbeing—both the staff you support and the individuals receiving services. You’re expected to keep programs running, manage budgets, and hold the mission front and center. And all of it against the backdrop of chronic underfunding and workforce shortages.
It’s no wonder leaders feel overwhelmed and isolated. But here’s the good news: this crisis can be an opportunity. When leaders adjust how they engage their workforce, the results go beyond “good leadership theory.” They lead to tangible, measurable outcomes—like reduced overtime, lower vacancy rates, and stronger staff retention.
The Shift: What Research (and Real Leaders) Show
In my recent conversation with Caitlin Bailey and Kristen Loomis Greenidge, co-directors of the National Leadership Consortium, we explored what actually helps leaders feel more effective and less stressed. Their years of research and leadership development boil down to a few powerful shifts:
Get out of the silo. When leaders connect with peers outside their usual circles, they discover they’re not alone. This exchange of ideas builds energy, sparks creativity, and often leads to solutions that no one leader could have uncovered in isolation.
Invite honest feedback. It’s not always easy, but feedback is the mirror that shows whether your good intentions are creating the impact you think they are. Leaders who make feedback a regular rhythm see blind spots shrink and alignment grow.
Communicate, even without all the answers. Staff don’t expect you to fix everything overnight. But silence erodes trust. When leaders acknowledge concerns and explain what’s being considered, staff feel respected—and trust grows even if the solution isn’t ready yet.
Involve your people in solutions. This one is transformational. When staff help design solutions, they’re invested in carrying them out. Buy-in skyrockets, and leaders often find that the people closest to the work bring the most practical ideas.
These aren’t abstract principles—they’re field-tested behaviors that directly impact workforce stability. Leaders who embrace them report less stress, stronger teams, and measurable progress against workforce challenges.
Why This Matters in the Staffing Crisis
We can’t ignore the big picture: our field is facing one of the toughest staffing shortages in decades. Agencies across the country are scrambling to fill vacancies while paying unsustainable overtime just to cover shifts. The pressure on leaders is immense.
That’s why these leadership shifts aren’t just “nice to have.” They’re strategies that directly address the workforce crisis. When leaders build trust, communicate clearly, and invite staff into solutions, it doesn’t just improve morale—it reduces turnover, decreases burnout, and makes your organization a place where people want to stay.
The ripple effects are real: fewer vacancies, lower overtime, and a stronger pipeline of leaders rising from within.
Your Next Step as a Leader
Here’s the encouraging part: you don’t have to change everything overnight to see progress. You can start with small, practical steps like:
Asking your team one simple question: “What’s one thing that would make your work easier this week?”
Sharing what’s being discussed behind the scenes, even if the final answer isn’t ready yet.
Reaching out to a colleague outside your department or organization to swap stories and ideas.
These actions may feel small, but they compound over time. They create trust. They reduce frustration. And they make you the kind of leader who helps an agency move from constant crisis to steady growth.
A Call to Grow Together
Caitlin Bailey and Kristen Loomis Greenidge reminded me that leadership development isn’t just about skills—it’s about connection. It’s about creating spaces where leaders feel less alone, more equipped, and more confident to face the workforce challenges head-on. That’s the work NLC is doing through their Leadership Institutes—and it’s the work each of us can do, starting right where we are.
If you’re ready to grow in your leadership and find better ways to support your team, you don’t have to go it alone. Each week I share insights and encouragement for human services leaders—practical tools to help you reduce stress, strengthen your workforce, and build organizations people want to work for.
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