You’ve finally collected all the required signatures and stamps on your installation-clearing paperwork. The movers will be at your house in a few days to pack and move your family’s belongings to a new duty station. You’re looking forward to the challenges that await you at your next assignment, but you know you will miss your current unit.You’ve gone through countless training exercises here and a deployment or two, and you have seen command teams and soldiers come and go. You know the problems your unit has and perhaps even the causes and contexts of those issues. You even have some ideas about how to fix them. You could tell the commander exactly what’s going on in his organization and how to make things better—if only he would ask you.Army Regulation 600-20 Army Command Policy requires commanders to administer a command climate survey within 30 days of assuming command, again at the six-month mark and annually thereafter. The feedback from these surveys, while undoubtedly valuable, provides only a partial assessment of the unit’s climate and culture. It is difficult to get a true sense of an organization from survey data that is mostly quantitative in nature, anonymous and void of context. But commanders and leaders at every echelon have numerous opportunities each year to assess their organizations outside of the Army-mandated cycle: exit interviews with soldiers before their permanent change of station or expiration of term of service.This is the perfect time to get unfiltered feedback about how the unit is doing, where potential issues lie—which commanders may not have been aware of—and to get a better understanding of a soldier’s point of view. In addition, and just as important, this is a final opportunity to shake soldiers’ hands and personally thank them for their contributions to the unit. Some of the information I received from conducting exit interviews was invaluable and helped me address issues that I might not have otherwise known about.The commander is usually the final stop on a soldier’s way out of the unit. In fact, the commander’s signature block is at the very bottom of DA Form 137-1, meaning the soldier already visited the various staff sections, the central issue facility and just about every other organization on post before getting the commander’s signature. His or her evaluations, awards and other required administrative documents should already be complete by this point, so for all intents and purposes, this is a retribution-free session.Three Central QuestionsFor my exit interviews, I framed the discussion around the following three questions:- What do we do well?- Where could we improve?- If you were commander for a day, what is the first thing you would change?The question “What do we do well?” is meant to elicit a sense of pride regarding past accomplishments of the soldier and/or organization. The responses will allow the commander to see what the soldier perceives as the organization’s strengths. It should also give a sense of what was important to that particular soldier or perhaps the entire organization, a strong indicator of the type of culture present in the organization. This also gives the commander the opportunity to capitalize on unit successes by codifying the practices that contributed to the successes.The question “Where could we improve?” is intended to elicit the soldier’s perspective of potential problem areas that need to be addressed. The way the question is worded is important as it does not pinpoint blame or ownership on the soldier; in fact, by using the word we, the commander is included. Here is where issues that were possibly unknown to the commander could be revealed.A soldier’s response to the final question—“If you were commander for a day, what is the first thing you would change?”—could be an indicator of a number of issues such as higher-command climate, organizational culture, work environment, command-imposed constraints that may hinder the team in some way or any number of other issues. The issues identified in this question will likely require the commander’s direct involvement and assistance to resolve, as they could involve other sections, organizations, or senior leaders.For each question, it is important to dig beyond the surface of the soldier’s initial responses. The answers I received varied from one soldier to the next, depending on experience, maturity level and level of comfort talking with the commander.In addition to identifying issues within the organization, these sessions allowed me to assess myself as an organizational leader. The soldier’s responses often provided me with insight into my effectiveness (or lack thereof) regarding the messages—written, verbal or otherwise—that I sent to the company. In other words, was the organization’s vision clear to everyone? Was I communicating it enough? Are my short-term goals aligned with the vision? How much of the bigger picture do the soldiers see or understand? Armed with this type of information, I could immediately take action toward improving my organization.Setting ConditionsWhen conducting exit interviews, it is important to keep an open mind. Don’t become defensive or dismissive, or you will miss out on an opportunity to improve your organization. Open yourself up to this honest feedback, and keep things in perspective. Be aware of your body language and facial expressions during the discussion. Defensive body language, such as crossing your arms or furrowing your brow, may curtail the soldier’s response, especially if he or she senses you don’t like the feedback.Leaders should be aware of Geert Hofstede’s cultural dimensions theory, as it is highly applicable in this context. Essentially, this theory serves as an indicator of how individuals will behave and communicate in a culture based on power distance and uncertainty avoidance.Power distance refers to the idea that some people are perceived to be more powerful than others. This perception creates barriers to effective communication between people with different levels of power. The larger the power gap between two individuals, the more difficult it is for them to communicate with one another.Mitigating these factors to the maximum extent possible will reduce the soldier’s anxiety and create an environment where honest discussion can occur. This is why it is important to ensure that all the soldier’s awards and evaluations are complete before the interview occurs. Remind the soldier of this fact before you ask for feedback.The physical environment in which the interview occurs can also have unintended impacts. Reporting to the commander’s office can seem like a big deal for some of your soldiers, increasing their anxiety. Try to conduct the interview in as neutral a location as possible. Conference rooms can be a great venue. It is important to be mindful of furniture or other items in the room that might act as physical barriers to the discussion. If you must conduct the interview in your office, come out from behind the desk.Perhaps the most important thing a commander can do in order to facilitate honest feedback is build a climate of trust within the organization. From Day 1, a commander must demonstrate competence and commitment to the unit, and he or she must communicate clearly and honestly—always.Although they may seem inconsequential, exit interviews can have a profound impact. Leaders have the rare opportunity to get unfiltered feedback from their soldiers, and soldiers get confirmation that their superiors care enough to ask for their opinion. This small, seemingly simple act can have a great impact on an organization.