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Managing Through Trust
By
Glenn Morris
“Trust me.” How often do our leaders ask us to do that? Whether it’s said by the President of the United States, or the CEO of a major company, or the star of our favorite sports team, they all want us to trust them and accept their word as truth. Recently, though, we’ve all seen in the news too many examples of the cost of misplaced trust … or more accurately, trust that was abused. How many people have become disaffected with politicians or lost investments because the people who they trusted did not deserve or earn that trust?
Now, let’s say you are the leader. You have been selected or elected to be part of the group that makes the decisions, that does the work, that makes “it” happen. You feel honored and want to be seen as one who can be counted on, who can be turned to when the stakes are high. You want people to know that they can trust you. You want to make sure that you are the kind of a leader who earns and deserves trust, not one who ultimately proves him or herself to be unworthy of respect and trust.
One definition of trust is a reliance on the integrity, ability, or character of a person. As a developing leader who wants to be trusted, how can you make sure that the rest of your team sees you as deserving of their trust?
Listen. The first step in earning the trust of your peers is to listen to them. Make sure that you know their concerns: learn what is important to them. Get to know them on a personal level – outside of the organization where you are working together. If they know that you will listen to them, they will be much more likely to listen to you.
Share. You are on the team for a reason. People perceive that you have knowledge or skills that can help the group achieve its objectives. Be an active participant in the team’s discussions and decision making . If you have information that will help, contribute it. If you have an idea that can move the process along, get it out there. There is a school of thought that says information is power; however, the potential value of keeping important information secret for your own benefit is outweighed by the damage to your credibility when people find out the truth – and they will.
Get in Line. Once the group makes a decision, your role as a member of the team is to make the decision work. Second-guessing, criticizing the decision, or belittling the participants outside of the group may feel good sometimes, but it will ensure hard feelings and a definite lack of trust in the future. Regardless of whether you agree with the ultimate decision, the time and place for sharing those concerns is during the decision-making process, and again during the process evaluation phase.
Do a Little. In any project, there are lots of little tasks that are less than exciting. These are not the parts of the project that get someone noticed or that lead to glory. Do them anyway. People who do the small, unglamorous tasks often get trusted to do big, important stuff too.
Own Up. Because you are human, you are going to make a mistake or two. Sometimes the position or decision you advocate will turn out to be wrong. Sometimes you will drop the ball and fail to follow through on an assignment or task that you are responsible for completing. Does that mean you have lost your opportunity to gain the trust of the group? Not necessarily. Having the courage and integrity to own up to your mistakes and accept their consequences can actually improve your trustworthiness by showing people that you will not try to hide things or take advantage of bad situations.
Deliver. It almost goes without saying, but we should say it anyway. The most important thing you can do to gain trust is to do what you say you will do. If you take on an assignment, complete it. Building a reputation as someone whose word can be counted on and who does what is necessary to get the job done is essential to becoming a person others trust.
Leaders who are trusted are leaders who can make a difference. Spending the time and doing the little things necessary to gain the trust of the rest of your group will pay huge dividends – for you and for the team.
Glenn Morris, the current Executive Director of California Future Business Leaders of America-Phi Beta Lambda, is a member of TRI's Strategic Leadership Alliance and a new contributor to the Leadership Solutions Network. Click here to learn more about Glenn and how to contact him!
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