As a leader, demonstrating transparency, vulnerability, and active listening sets the tone for the rest of the team. When team members see that you are open and receptive to feedback, it encourages them to do the same. Acknowledging the team's efforts and maintaining a non-judgmental environment is essential. When people feel safe to express their opinions without fear of criticism or retaliation, they are more likely to share their thoughts openly. Constructive feedback should be part of the culture, not just during performance reviews. Regularly asking for feedback (both positive and constructive) and acting on it demonstrates that open communication is a continuous and valued process.

Don't be afraid to admit you don't know something, pledge to find out. Conversely, accept "I don't know" for an answer, if combined with a sincere effort to resolve.

Fostering open communication should be part of your culture. The group, leadership, and all involved should have the ability to communicate things that went well and things that did not. As a leader knowing and conveying to your people what you could have done better is a must. You have to lead by example. You also have to quash any backlash or negativity that people may try to use after a debrief.

Well every ERT team ive ever known will gladly communicate what they dislike. If they do, you have a good team. You should not have to "foster open communication" because the people on your ERT team, if they are about it, will give it to you whether you like it or not.

One of the best things you can do as a crisis leader is not distance yourself from your team. Letting them see that, although you're in control, you feel the strains they feel too, will help foster an open environment. Make sure you give the floor over to the team early. Their perspectives are all going to be different, and each one is a valuable tool to give you views you may not otherwise be aware of. Do your best to ensure a judgement free area, a debrief can and should just as easily lead to a brainstorming session as issues are identified. Finally, encourage them to take a breath and acknowledge the incredible work they are doing. Any milestones you've hit? Emphasize them. Seeing progress they may not have will spur future efforts.

Fostering open communication in debrief sessions requires creating a supportive and structured environment. Lay ground rules for the debrief session and set a respectful tone where all team members feel safe sharing insights without fear of blame. Use a structured format, such as "What went well?" and "What could be improved?" to guide discussions. Encourage participation from all roles, ensuring diverse perspectives are heard. Lead by example by acknowledging challenges and lessons learned. Finally, document key takeaways and follow up with action items to show that feedback leads to meaningful improvements.

- Encourage a safe environment where all team members feel comfortable sharing their thoughts. - Use active listening to understand concerns and validate contributions. - Provide clear objectives and expectations for the debrief session. - Use open-ended questions to promote discussion and reflection. - Keep the focus on learning and improvement, not assigning blame. - Ensure all relevant information is shared in a timely manner. - Allow everyone to voice their perspectives and insights. - Use visual aids or notes to highlight key points for clarity. - Summarize key takeaways and actionable steps for future improvement. - Follow up with individual or team feedback sessions for continuous improvement.

Fostering open communication in debrief sessions starts with creating an environment of psychological safety—just as crucial for continuous improvement as response planning itself. Encouraging a culture that prioritizes learning, rather than blame, and ensuring leadership is committed to implementing lessons identified are key to strengthening both team resilience and future response effectiveness.

Stopping often during the debriefing to collect questions/comments. This happened and we did this, does anyone have any questions or feedback on that? Etc...

During an emergency debrief session, it is very important to listen to inputs from all presents in the crisis room based on their observations during the emergency. Where an inputs is wrongly stated, the leader must tactically correct such without making the person less important. The bottom line is to ensure better preparedness and response to future emergencies