Trust Takes Time

Trust takes time

I received a question a while back from a reader who asked…

One of the biggest challenges I see in my work environment is a lack of trust among the leadership team.  We expect our staff to trust us; however, we don’t trust one another.  I’m researching info/tools that I can use to help our team develop trust.  What are your suggestions?

I completely agree with the problem as stated. It is fundamental to cultivate trust, remarkably difficult to build it and stupidly easy to lose. So yes the question is an important one and unfortunately far easier to answer than to apply.

There are a number of things an individual can do to create trust in an organization.

Recognize the difference between trusting and trustworthy

Remarkably these two concepts are not identical. One relates to the act or verb to trust, while the other is an attribute of an individual. Understanding who is trustworthy is as critical as knowing how to trust others. 

What can be done to build trust

Integrity in action. We must make every effort to walk our talk. When people see a discontinuity between word an action they begin to wonder about whether you are trustworthy. This is an area where feedback is very powerful.

What can be done to not undermine trust

Again do not allow your words and actions to be different. If you must go back on a previous decision or direction explain why as honestly as the situation permits. If you made a mistake own up to it apologize and model the behavior of learning from it.

What can be done to create a trusting environment 

Trust is a give and take of small risks. Model the behavior you are looking for each day. Ask regularly for feedback and act on that which is important for your growth.

This is a quick overview. I have prepared a white paper on the topic that can be obtained for a small administration fee by contacting me at ronn dot hurst at mail dot com 

Lead well

Ron