Don't Forget About Trust...

Trust is the foundation of effective leadership, yet it is often overlooked in the daily demands facing leaders. In this essay, I explore why trust matters, how it shapes workplace dynamics, and what leaders can do to build a culture of trust within their teams. Give it a read, reflect on your own experiences, and share your thoughts! #highered #leadership #trust #highered #higheredleadership #authenticleadership

Think about these next questions for a moment. Who do you trust at work? Why do you trust them? ?Who don’t you trust and why? ?Trust and trustworthiness are important to me – as a person, but certainly as a leader.? Why should we care about actively cultivating trust and adding this to our already full plate of our leadership ‘to do’ list? Cultivating trust among your team and being a trustworthy leader is key to your and your organization’s effectiveness. In times of uncertainty, or periods of rapid change, trust and trustworthy leaders become more essential to our work life experience and work outcomes (Botsman, 2017).

I am aware that working with people I don’t trust is taxing. I’ve experienced firsthand how its absence can be exhausting as working with people I don’t trust requires constant emotional energy and strategic maneuvering to navigate their unpredictability. At some universities where I’ve worked, trust was in short supply—among deans, executive leaders, and even between the president and their team. This lack of trust created both operational and personal challenges. Instead of focusing solely on our work, we also had to calculate how to get things done in an environment where collaboration wasn’t always reliable. ?Despite being fully aware of the issue, leadership never addressed our trust deficit. ?That experience was a turning point for me—it sparked my interest in how trust is built, how it shapes organizations, and what leaders can do to foster it.

We know that trust grows through two equally important actions. Trust is shaped both by how people work together in their day-to-day relationships and through micro-level interactions (Van Wart, 2012; Nyhan, 2000) and by the structures and values of the organization itself through the creation of structures and systems that guide more formal interactions (Six, 2018; Torfing & Bentzen, 2020).

?Let’s start with interpersonal trust.? Once again, think about that person you trust at work.? They most likely have some or most of the traits researchers have identified as traits that form trustworthiness.

• Integrity: behaving in a way that their personal actions are guided by a clear set of values and principles associated with being truthful and consistent, regardless of external pressures.
• Consistency: acting in a dependable manner over time, creating a sense of stability and dependability.? You don’t wonder how they “show up” in a meeting or in interactions with others.
• Empathy and Compassion: recognizing, understanding, and caring about the feelings and needs of others and compassionately respond with kindness and support.
• Transparency: having clear, open, and frequent communication where relevant information is shared openly and honestly.?
• Fairness: treating colleagues with a sense of equity and impartiality; avoiding favoritism, applying rules consistently, and considering the needs of everyone involved.
• Selflessness: I will add one trait of my own, which is selflessness.? People who are selfless (not to such a degree that it is at the expense of their own wellbeing, however) prioritize the well-being of the relationship over their ego and they consistently act with your best interests in mind, not just their own. The people you trust genuinely care about you and your well-being as well as their own.

Now that you know the traits that comprise trust, how exactly do we influence people’s shift toward these traits? Start by honestly evaluating yourself on these traits and seek feedback from a trusted confidant to validate your assessment. Focus on strengthening these trust-building qualities in your interactions and behaviors. Make a conscious effort to model them in your interactions with your team.

As you shift your focus from improving your own trustworthiness to building trust among your team, be aware that not everyone on your team is ready to trust or even see the value in it.? Maybe they’ve been burned by trusting others and are suspicious of someone who wants to build a trusting relationship.? Maybe they know how to effectively navigate without trusting others so why change?? Qualitatively assess each team member’s ‘trust readiness’ via your interactions with them and their actions with others. ?Once you understand where your team lands on the trust readiness continuum, you can develop a different strategy based on their readiness.?

?One of the quickest ways to build (and maintain) trust with your team members, no matter what their level of trust readiness, is through improving your listening skills. Listening is integral to demonstrating that you value the traits associated with trust – selflessness by wanting to learn more about the other person’s perspective, emotions, and experiences; transparency in sharing information; your commitment to fairness, honesty, and respect.

?“Good” listening is when you

?????? Work to perceive the other person’s thoughts, needs, and feelings accurately.

?????? Create a sense that you are trying to understand what the other person feels.

?????? Use a structured approach where you repeat back what you understood they were saying, ensuring clarity and mutual understanding.

?????? Don’t rush to reply. Instead, really process what they’re saying before you start thinking about your response.? Oh, and stop thinking about your response while that person is talking.

?????? Acknowledge what you are hearing without agreeing.? You don’t have to agree with someone to show them you understand their perspective. (Reis, et.al., 2017)

?In summary, good listeners tend to be curious and inquisitive. They’re genuinely trying to learn, understand and make a connection with the other person. For example, let’s say your friend mentions to you that they’re thinking about taking a vacation but aren’t sure where to go. Now, you could respond by sharing your favorite destination, raving about the food there, and go on and on about how amazing your trip was.? (I know you’ve been on the receiving end of that kind of conversation). This type of interaction is called “narcissistic communication” (Derber, 2000) where one turns the conversation toward oneself.? Instead, try asking questions: When was the last time you took a vacation? What did you like about it? What are you hoping to get out of this trip?? To develop your listening skills, start practicing in low-stakes situation like this one. Focus on asking questions and truly engaging with what the other person is sharing. As you build this habit, it will become easier to apply these skills in more significant interactions, enhancing trust and deepening your relationships.

Next time I’ll share some thoughts about the structures and processes that build organizational trust.

Here are some additional resources for you. ?Enjoy!

Resources:

Botsman, R. 2017. The three steps of building trust in new ideas and businesses. https://ideas.ted.com/the-three-steps-of-building-trust-in-new-ideas-and-businesses/

Botsman, R. April 4, 2022. Trust is full of doubt. What Does It Really Mean to Trust? https://youtu.be/JLLmG91Aoh8

Burke, C.S., Sims, D.E., Lazzara, E.H, & Salas, E. (2007). Trust in leadership: A multi-level review and integration. Leadership Quarterly, Volume 18, Issue 6, Pages 606-632

Caldwell, C., & Karri, R. (2008). Ethical stewardship: Implications for leadership and trust. Journal of business ethics. Volume 78, Issue (1/2), Pages 153-164.

Derber, C. (2000). The pursuit of attention: Power and ego in everyday life. Oxford University Press.

Engelbrecht, A.S.; Heine, G.; & Mahembe, B. (2014). The influence of ethical leadership on trust and work engagement: An exploratory study by SA Journal of Industrial Psychology, Volume 40, Issue 1, Pages 1-9.

Mishra, A. K., & Mishra, K. E. (2013). The research on trust in leadership: The need for context. Journal of trust research. Volume 3, Issue 1, pages 59-69.

Nyhan, R. C. (2000). Changing the paradigm: Trust and its role in public sector organizations.?American Review of Public Administration,?30(1), 87-109.?https://doi.org/10.1177/02750740022064560

Reis, H. T. Relationships 2.0: What Makes Relationships Thrive. Hidden Brain, November 28, 2022. https://hiddenbrain.org/podcast/what-makes-relationships-thrive/

Reis H.T., Lemay Jr. E.P., and Finkenauer, C. (2017). Toward understanding understanding: The importance of feeling understood in relationships. Social Personal Psychological Compass. Vol 11, Issue 3. https://doi.org/10.1111/spc3.12308

Six, F. (2018). Trust in Public Professionals and their Professions. In, The Routledge Companion to Trust (1st ed.). Searle, R.H., Nienaber, A.-M.I., & Sitkin, S.B. (Eds.).Routledge. https://doi.org/10.4324/9781315745572

Torfing, J., & Bentzen, T. ?. (2020). Does stewardship theory provide a viable alternative to control-fixated performance management? Administrative Sciences, 10(4), 1-19. https://doi.org/10.3390/admsci10040086

Van Wart, M. (2012). The role of trust in leadership.?Public Administration Review,?72(3), 454-458.?https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1540-6210.2011.02576.x

?