Leaders Must Do the Things They Ask Their Teams to Do — Belcan Chief Security and Data Officer

(US & Canada) Matt King, Chief Security and Data Officer at Belcan, speaks with Cory Carlson, Leadership Coach and Keynote Speaker, in a video interview about his approach to delegating tasks, the importance of understanding the “why” of data and security tasks, how to bring the best out of the team members at work, fostering psychological safety, prioritizing PTO, and the leadership principles he emulates.

Belcan is a global company that specializes in engineering, consulting, and technical services in the aerospace and automotive industries.

While delegating tasks, King ensures that his staff understand the “whys” of the situation from a security perspective. Especially with defense-related work, it becomes a matter of national security to ensure securing the environment and protecting customer information.

In addition, King incorporates personal elements in the "whys" so that it just does not remain a business decision for people working on it. Engaging personal relevance in terms of what needs to be delivered leads to a much better buy-in, he adds.

Delving further, King states that he communicates this with the broader team to reinforce the reasons behind the work, particularly within the framework of Belcan’s business and services. Considering Belcan’s role in building parts of commercial aircraft, he highlights the consequences if the sensitive data, such as stress data, were compromised.

On a more specific task level, King feels fortunate to work with a highly inquisitive team that values understanding “the why,” especially regarding data and security. When it boils down to efficiency and improvement, he urges team members to learn new skills while freeing up their time for the tasks they are passionate about. This is another area he focuses on from the “why” perspective.

Moving forward, King discusses his approach towards the team members to bring out the best they have to offer. While delegating the work, he mentions that producing the best from an assigned task would open up more opportunities for the members to do the things they want. King ensures that the team members know that demonstrating efficiency, effectiveness, and work quality develops trust within the organization. He adds that there are many roles for members to play in the security space, but he prioritizes balancing their skill sets and what they do best.

Also, for people who want to try on new roles without expertise in them, King considers upskilling and training. But if they are excelling at their original capability, he rewards them in a way that does not shift their focus from what they do best. The goal is to build the most efficient and effective team holistically.

To foster team growth, King refers to vulnerability as a critical aspect. He affirms that one has to be vulnerable with the staff and share things on a personal level, such as past mistakes and experiences. When it comes to psychological safety, King mentions that people are hesitant to open up. Therefore, he creates situations where he makes it comfortable for everyone to share their own perspective, particularly in innovation-related activities.

According to King, asking someone about how they have handled a particular situation can lead to innovative solutions. Truly getting to know the team is key, and that way, one can ask insightful, targeted questions to drive creativity.

Furthermore, King expresses that regarding Paid Time Off (PTO), he always prioritizes time off for his staff, unless it is an extreme situation for the company. He states that it is critical for people to know that they have the flexibility, which allows them to give their best at work.

Consequently, King confirms having solid retention and happy employees who want to work for him, and many have rejoined. This transparent and honest approach towards each other stands as a testimony to why Belcan has achieved what it has as an organization.

As a leader, it is critical to lead by example, says King. Leaders must do the things that they ask their teams to do while being the sword and the shield for them. For instance, if things go wrong in business, it is the leaders’ fault, and when things go well, it is the teams’ effort.

One of the core principles of Belcan is trust, which extends not only to customers but also internally to the staff, says King. He maintains that without trust, it is challenging to grow, make the right decisions, and retain talent.

Another key principle at Belcan is keeping people first. Concluding, King states that the foundational purpose and organizational principles emulate much of his thoughts around holistic leadership.

CDO Magazine appreciates Matt King for sharing his insight with our global community.