Porch Jumping

Trust is the one thing that affects everything else you’re doing. It’s a performance multiplier which takes your trajectory upwards, for every activity you engage in, from strategy to execution. – Stephen R. Covey

An old wise tale once had a shrewd father and his son outside playing on the porch.? The young son wanted to jump from the porch to the ground, but he was afraid to for fear he would hurt himself.? The father said to him, “Don’t worry!? I will catch you.”? The son answered with trepidation, “But it will hurt, Dad.”? “I promise you I will catch you,” replied the dad.? “Are you sure,” asked the son.? The father nodded to reassure him.? After a couple of exchanges back and forth, the son finally built up enough courage to finally jump.? When he did, the father stepped away, and let his son fall to the ground.? Crying, the son asked why he let him fall.? The father said, “To teach you a lesson.? Trust no one,” he answered.

Isn’t it curious how trust remains elusive among us? ?Even beyond the context of this article, the story feels chilling.? It is a lesson I certainly wouldn’t impart to my own children. ?Yet perhaps some of you have encountered similar narratives or inhabit a world where such experiences prevail. If that’s the case, this article might not resonate with you. Or perhaps it’s precisely for you.? Consider this a wake-up call to examine the harm you might unknowingly inflict upon those in your inner circle. ?For most of us, though, the struggle lies in navigating the delicate balance between trust and skepticism. ?When doubt creeps in, we yearn for certainty. ?Trust and certainty, like twin facets of a coin, go hand in hand. Skepticism, on the other hand, is the anchor that holds us back and a lack of trust that often taints our work environment. ?After all, if someone is hired for a role, why the compulsion to micromanage every detail?

So, today’s newsletter article focuses on cultivating trust to reduce skepticism and enhance organizational health. ?We’ll explore why building trust within your team is crucial, especially if it’s currently lacking.

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Consistency

Foundational to trust lies in straightforward principles. Open communication, transparency, and keeping promises form the bedrock. Accountability matters, even when it means taking a hit for others. These actions are the low-hanging fruit of trust-building. However, the true architect of trust is consistency. Followers don’t invest in occasional gestures. They buy into what you do consistently excel at.? I laughed when someone I was dating years before I got married said that they liked to keep me guessing.? That might make for an exciting love life but a terrible model for building trust!? As a leader, your unwavering presence and consistent actions matter. Trust isn’t just earned; it’s sustained through reliable results. Your actions attract followers, but it’s the consistent delivery that keeps the stars shining on your team.

The Time Factor

In Stephen Covey’s book “The Speed of Trust,” he highlights the impact of trust within organizations. A high-trust environment operates more efficiently than one lacking trust. The reason is straightforward: when trust prevails, you spend less time second-guessing others and more time contributing to the business’s success. Here’s a practical test for your team: track the time spent managing your most trusted team member—conversations, performance reviews, reports—and compare it to the time spent managing the least trusted member. The difference can be significant. As a leader, I’ve found that managing the least trusted individual required about 2.5 times more effort than managing the most trusted one. Imagine having an entire team built on mutual trust—how much more time would you have for planning, delegation, teaching, training, and even taking that well-deserved vacation?? I bring this up as the genesis to your own efforts to build trust within your team.? Figure out those areas where you lack trust of others and find ways to build trust.? Set parameters instead of giving specific instructions.? Check someone’s work once a week instead of every day or once a month over weekly.? Once proven, give them greater responsibility.? This builds trust within the team and gives you more time.

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Break The Golden Rule

There is an old work adage called ‘The Golden Rule’ that states you treat everyone the way you would want to be treated.? That needs to be tossed out.? In fact, Marcus Buckingham found from his study of great managers that is one of the rules they frequently break and replace with something called ‘The Platinum Rule.’? It goes, “Treat other people how they want to be treated.”? This requires a great deal of understanding of those who report to you.? There are some on your team that require a bit more attention than others —not in a micromanaging sense, but rather in recognizing their unique needs. Effective leaders recognize that their role isn’t self-centered; it’s about serving those they lead. To inspire followership, understanding individual drivers, aspirations, and needs is essential.?There’s no one-size-fits-all solution and adhering strictly to the golden rule risks inauthenticity.? Authentic leadership, on the other hand, embraces the nuances of each person’s experience.? Speaking of the topic of authenticity …

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Be Authentic

In my earlier years, I attempted to emulate inspiring leaders, often borrowing phrases from others. One such phrase, ‘The bar is high,’ fell flat on its face like the kid trusting his father that started the article.? However, through trial and error, I learned to trust my own abilities and skills. This process allowed me to establish my unique leadership style and voice. I even coined a saying within my team: ‘It’s an Elsa moment,’ inspired by the movie Frozen. When team members dwelled on unchangeable past decisions, I’d gently remind them to ‘let it go.’ This saying isn’t about self-congratulation.? Rather, it aligns with my personality.? It is to note that it fits my personality of focusing on solutions, maintaining optimism, and moving forward.? Trusting your authentic voice is essential, and as you do, others may follow suit.

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Trust, like a delicate seed, requires careful tending. It’s not etched on paper; rather, it blooms through consistent actions and unwavering commitment. The effort to build trust spans weeks, months, and years, yet it can vanish in an instant. As leaders, we guard this trust fiercely, standing firm on the hill of integrity.? Through consistency, maximizing our time, breaking old rules, and being true to ourselves, we can be the kind of leaders who inspire confidence—a beacon of support for those ready to leap from the porch into the unknown.?