What is the Shaggy Dog idea?

• A. People need encouragement/recognition; a good captain gives correction and positive feedback.
• B. People should avoid feedback.
• C. Correction alone is sufficient.
• D. Feedback should be avoided after incidents.

Answer: (A)

The idea being tested is that effective leadership with crews blends correction with positive recognition. People learn best when they’re told what to improve and also when their good performance is noticed and encouraged. So a captain who corrects mistakes but also acknowledges correct actions helps maintain motivation, trust, and openness to learning, which in turn supports safer, more effective operations.

If you only give corrections, the crew may feel discouraged or defensive and may miss the motivation to improve. If you avoid feedback altogether, nothing guides growth. If you think correction alone is sufficient, you miss reinforcing what’s being done well. If you avoid feedback after incidents, you lose a vital opportunity to teach and prevent recurrence.