Here's The Thing About Trust...

We can debate this topic forever….

Do I earn your trust, or do you give me your trust?

I think it goes both ways.

In order to gain your trust, I must earn it.?As a leader, you may give me a certain level of trust simply because of my position. The truth is that deeper trust takes more than just the title held.

Trust is a very critical issue in our relationships.?If we don’t have it, or if it becomes broken or violated -- trust may be impossible to regain.?A wise man once told me that if you break the trust, it’s like making a $1,000 withdrawal from the “trust bank”.?Once that withdrawal is made you must pay it back one penny at a time.?And to make that even more difficult the payback is made by my actions, not my words.?Everything I do or don’t do is now “under the microscope”.?Think how long that might take.?The trust factor influences day-to-day behaviors and performance, which in-turn directly impacts the long-term achievement of goals and objectives.

“Trust takes years to builds & only seconds to break and forever to repair”

The value of this fundamental bedrock or keystone is critical to the leader, the team members, and the organization. ??A “Keystone” is defined as “the central wedge-shaped stone of an arch that locks the whole structure together.” The keystone in a structure is like trust in a relationship; without those two elements the rest eventually falls apart.

The value to me personally – is in the successful & satisfying relationships I can build with others based on trust. ?As leaders, if we can cultivate optimum, genuine trustworthiness in our workplace, we create a much more fulfilling & rewarding working environment. The real benefit here is that we have worked to help provide that culture for our team members.

How Can I Build This Trusting Relationship?

Here are a few basic tips to help us get and maintain this positive and necessary leadership keystone.

1.???????Do What You Say and Say What You Do.?

Be sure to not “over-promise” here. ?Give realistic and reasonable promises and then stick to it.

2.???????Walk the Talk – Always.?

Lead by example.?Don’t say one thing and then do another.?The leader is always “on stage”.?Front and center at all times.

3.???????Be Transparent. Show Your Honesty & Integrity.

Be sure to never shade the truth.?That little “white lie” is never little.?

4.???????Hold Yourself Accountable. Practice true self-reflection.

Have a team of folks to help you.?Ask ?some strong team members to help you to stay on track.?Check in with them regularly.?Used your “life’s board of directors” to help you with this one.?Call or meet with them to ask for their candid feedback and input.?

5.???????Consistency is Key. Not with just the big things, but with ALL of the little things.?

Remember if anything matters then everything matters.?Every decision you make is being observed and sometimes even scrutinized by others.?Be consistent.?Talk with a mentor or a coach.?

6.??????Show Your Empathy. Put yourself out there.?

Don’t just talk this one.?Show it. ?Demonstrate to your team that you truly understand what they are going through.?If you actually don’t understand – just be there for them and listen. Walk in their shoes and experience the day-to-day challenges they face. Hang out in the factory for a short time when it’s 100+ degrees in there. Immerse yourself in their world for a little while.?Do this regularly.?

7.??????Admit/Acknowledge Your Mistakes. Don’t delay in owning your errors.?Apologize and do it promptly. Nobody is perfect.

That’s right.?Don’t be afraid to acknowledge your mistakes publicly or privately.?You will gain tremendous respect and reset the relationship on your side of it.?Doing the opposite and never acknowledging your errors will only create more hardships for you and your team.

8.???????Do the Next Right Thing. Do not Waiver. If you don’t know what that is – ask a trusted advisor.

Your actions speak volumes. ??In his book, Trustology, Author Richard Fagerlin says it so well.?

“Trust isn’t what we “do” -- it’s what results from what we do”

9.??????Give trust to your team. Tell them and show them daily.

Just don’t verbalize it.?Show them.?Giving people projects to help them grow, shows that you respect and trust them .?Ask for their input.?It shows that you value their input and expertise.?

10.??Help others. Act as an equal. Roll up your shirtsleeves.

Get your hands “dirty.”?Get in “the trenches” and show them you’re willing to help too.?These actions on your part will have a significant impact on team members feelings of trust and respect toward you.?Here it’s WE not ME.

11.??Build Trust with Your Words & Actions.

Think about the “trust bank” analogy above.?Paying back trust or getting trust is not simply talking about it.?Leaders must back up their words every single day with their actions.?

While this is not an exhaustive list for potential actions leaders can take; it can be used to keep us on track and moving in the right direction. While these choices appear to be “simple,” they’re certainly not always easy to execute.

In the article “The Power of Trust – A Steel Cable” Bruna Martinuzzi writes:

“Trust is largely an emotional act, based on the anticipation of reliance. It is fragile and like an eggshell, one slip can shatter it. People don’t automatically trust leaders these days. Trust needs to be earned through diligence, fidelity, and applied effort.”

Martinuzzi leaves us with a very important question “Can your people trust that your word is your bond?” ?

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