What leads us to trust one another? We know that trust is a basic ingredient in every relationship, both business and personal. When you assume a leadership position, your staff wants to know that you have their best interest at heart and you want to know they are going to do what they say.
Your boss is expecting you to achieve results and manage your responsibilities. Your staff is watching to see if you will keep your commitments to them. Your peers are watching to see if you are the right person for the job. Often, a slight off-handed comment can be taken literally and set actions and expectations in motion. I worked with a team leader who could not understand why his team did not seem to trust him. He thought he was doing all the right things; holding team building sessions, having informal lunches and conducting “town meetings” to see what was on people’s minds. During a team building event, he made some off-handed comments about changes he was thinking of implementing. He did not remember making these comments, but his team did and believed several things would change. When nothing happened, his team questioned his sincerity and honesty. It took the better part of a year for the leader to rebuild trust.
Once trust is broken it takes a long time to get it back. If it is broken a second time, you never get it back. If your staff does not trust you it will be impossible to coach and develop them. It does not mean that people will not work for you, but it is rare they will work at 110%.
Tips to Build Trust:
- Do what you say and say what you do
- Keep all your commitments
- Be transparent
- Admit when you are wrong
- Engage in 2-way dialogue
- Ask for feedback
Speak Your Mind