Trust is the cornerstone of any successful relationship, and as leaders, it's pivotal that we consistently strive to foster this essential element within our teams.
Building trust isn't a one-time event, it's an ongoing process that needs effort, patience, and sincerity. There’s a wide spectrum of aspects to look at when trying to understand how to improve trust – in fact almost everything we do is related to it in some way. Here are just a few ideas:
1️⃣ Transparency – Openly sharing both victories and challenges promotes a culture of honesty. Transparency builds understanding, which ultimately leads to trust.
2️⃣ Accountability – Mistakes happen. When they do, own up to them. This demonstrates your integrity and encourages others to do the same.
3️⃣ Consistency – Be reliable in your actions. This provides your team with a sense of stability, creating a strong foundation for trust to grow.
4️⃣ Empathy – Be genuinely interested in your team members as individuals. Understand their aspirations, their fears, and their motivations.
5️⃣ Encourage Open Communication – Creating a safe space for your team to voice their opinions and concerns without fear fosters trust and respect.
Trust isn't just about being a better leader, it's about building a better, more productive team. Let's commit to creating an environment of trust and openness in our organisations. It starts with you, the leaders.
I try to meet with, virtually or in person, lots of my business and coaching contacts, and I find this an effective way of keeping up to date with the latest relevant issues. It also helps to ‘ground’ me and encourage me to check in with my own work and approach. Along the way I have lots of discussions about leadership which inevitably entails wildly differing views and opinions.
Out of the proliferation of remote work during and after COVID, a new challenge for organisations has emerged: many important skills are not easily, or cannot be, nurtured through screens. In the traditional office environment, the subtle yet powerful process of learning osmotically plays a critical role. Leaders model behaviours, and employees, often subconsciously, absorb crucial skills such as adaptability, emotional intelligence, and intuitive decision-making. Even resilience can be enhanced through witnessing other people’s coping mechanisms.
Reflecting on what I feel makes a leader truly great, I realise that leadership is generally misunderstood. It should not be about rank or authority;