“Trust is the essence of leadership.” – Colin Powell
Trust is the glue that holds organizations and relationships together. We all know how difficult it is to be in a personal relationship with someone we don’t trust, and it is just as difficult to work for someone we don’t trust. In work relationships, leaders have a responsibility to build and maintain trust within their organizations. Do your employees trust you?
Leaders engender and demonstrate trust by:
- Being open and communicating important issues regarding the organization. Allowing misinformation to circulate via the office grapevine is damaging to a leader’s credibility.
- Providing assignments that stretch abilities, thereby showing faith in and a desire to develop future knowledge, skills, and abilities.
- Actively listening to employees and being responsive to their needs. Leaders may not always be able to fulfill all of their employees’ needs. If you can’t, be honest about why you are unable to fulfill them.
- Being ethical and showing integrity in all dealings with clients, colleagues, employees, and external stakeholders.
- Involving people in meetings where their input and feedback is needed.
- Being respectful in how you talk to and about people.
- Supporting employees in the challenges they may be facing.
- Maintaining confidentiality when circumstances require it.
What will you as a leader do to create trust within your organization?
