Being Trusted is Essential for You as a Leader
As most (if not all) organizations' essential work outcomes are reliant of successful leadership, ensuring the commitment by 'followers' to the achievement to those outcomes will be dependent on, and is directly linked to, the level of trust you can establish. The entire 'inspirational leader' talk, and to my way of thinking incorrectly labeled 'motivating' theories, studies and techniques will be worthless without the well developed leadership ability, of knowing how to build and maintain trust.
Over the years as a consultant I've looked at the 'three elements model' (reliability, sincerity and competence), 'the four elements' (integrity, competence, empathy and openness) and even a 'five elements' (that I no longer recall) training model. Too simple!
POINT: Sound communication is a key however a discussion of how to do that is best left for another article, all I will say is the best vision plans and ideas in the world are worthless if nobody knows either about them, nor understands them. The central purpose of communication is to create understanding.
Just to assert the negative for a moment, WITHOUT TRUST there can be no effective action, no synergistic teamwork (1+1=3 or better), or importantly, no vision driven direction.
TO THE POINT
The following is a list of words that others need to be using when they describe you if you are to gain and maintain their trust;
- committed
- confident
- fearless
- communicative
- predictable
- reliable
- correct
- forgiving
- clear
- factual
- unbiased
- respectful
- reasonable
- confidential
- contributing
- even
- defining
- accountable
- interested
- calm
- resolute
- tactful
- sincere
- frank
- listener
- patient
- answering
- sharing
- fair
- timely
- honest
- decisive
- neutral
- competent
- consistent
- explicit
- responsible
- transparent
- close (near)
- willing
- collaborative
- accurate
- graceful
- helpful
KNOW HOW YOU STAND?
Why not ask your followers to rank you (anonymously) on a scale of 1 to 10, or alternatively use the "never/sometimes/mostly/always" grid for each of the words and see how you do!
ONE MORE POINT, BECAUSE TRUST REALLY IS, ESSENTIAL FOR LEADERS
The longest sentence I have ever written... trust me!
To be trusted followers need to understand your intent and believe they
- can find a worry free
- suspicion-less
- environment where they are not taken for granted
- their faith in the leader is confirmed and supported by a consistent track record
- where mistakes are forgiven
- miscommunications and misunderstandings are corrected
- beliefs
- differences and privacy are respected
- sweeping opinions based on assumptions or stereotypes never occur
- fear of loss is minimized
- being betrayed or feeling burnt does not happen
- abruptness
- shock
- knee jerk
- emotional reactions
- cynicism or anger are not permitted
- vulnerable and naïve people are protected
- solace is freely given
- they are never disabled
- over-reaction does not occur
- they are never categorized
- forced or excluded through prejudice
- avoiding or omitting truth or facts is not permitted
- interruptions
- restlessness
- frowning
- negative gestures are discouraged
- success
- action and effort are acknowledged and credit given
- neutrality
- togetherness
- flexibility
- directness
- informative
- non-assumptive opinions and perspectives are sought by a leader who keeps promises
- is willing to be wrong
- extends themselves
- overcomes short-term feelings
- avoids harming others
- shows trust
- risks being let down
- makes amends and who also promotes
- togetherness
- closeness
- full disclosure
- open dialogue
- speaking the truth
- does what they say they will do
- doesn't do what you say they won't do
- develops others and their ideas
- able to have fun
- seeks solutions to problems
- win/win agreements and closure and lives up to followers expectations through thoroughly understanding that power equals responsibility.
Source: http://ezinearticles.com/
Added: May 7, 2008
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