Trust is something natural, it is something we cannot help but live with. Man is born and trusts, first in his mother, and then he trusts himself. Trust is the basis of communication. Communication is one of the pillars of good management of organizations. Trust or lack of trust or mistrust is one of the topics of leadership in organizations increasingly studied.
Archimedes once said, “Give me a place to stand, and I will move the earth “. In business, that support is none other than the leader’s ability to build trust in work teams.
What Is Trust?
The first job of any leader is to inspire confidence. This quality refers to the confidence that someone develops in another individual or themselves. Fostering the belief that the other person will know how to perform in the future. At the same time decreasing uncertainty about the actions of others.
Trust is the basis of social relationships, as most individuals have the certainty that others will respect the codes and norms established within the social group or community. Trust in others creates stable and reliable relationships.
Why Is It Important For The Team’s Performance?
When there’s trust, individuals deliberately step forward and work optimally, collaboratively, and productively. They embrace a common purpose, take risks, think inventively, offer help to each other, and communicate honestly.
How Can Leaders Create High Levels Of Trust And Maintain It In A Team?
In “The Seven Habits of Highly Effective People”, Stephen Covey talks about the “emotional bank account”. An emotional bank account is one in which deposits are made and withdrawals are set aside for when we need them. It is a metaphor for trust in a relationship or the feeling of security we have about another person.
Covey explains the importance of building a positive balance in our relationships with the people around us. When the balance is positive in this “emotional bank account” we will earn the respect and trust of others.
For a leader, one of the easiest ways to build a positive balance of “emotional bank” is to build an environment of trust with your team.
How To Be A Good Leader?
Being a good communicator, developing empathy, or knowing how to motivate are some of the traits that are required of those responsible for a team and with which you can identify a good leader.
Tolerating mistakes and setting goals and expectations are key elements to identifying possible risk situations. Even so, a good leader must always be in a state of alertness and not overestimate risks, especially in organizations with high quality and safety requirements. Overconfidence could lead to a much bigger accident; it is a very common mistake in people.
Therefore, selecting the people on whom the company’s results will depend is a fundamental decision to achieve success with certainty.
Next, according to the 8 pillars of trust established by David Horsager, we are going to develop how these values are key to generating trust with collaborators:
Key 1: Always Tell The Truth (Clarity)
Being the leader means that co-workers act on their word. True leaders are direct and honest. And they communicate all the time. Lack of information creates conjectures that are often negative for team motivation and productivity. So, make sure it’s the truth. Nothing is more destructive to trust than finding out someone is lying to you.
People can smell what you’re hiding from a distance. If there is still information you can’t impart to the team, tell them what you can, in any case, don’t mislead them.
This is particularly significant in the midst of redesign, layoffs, or cutbacks. Always follow this rule: “Tell the truth and shore up hope”.
The authentic leader practices his values consistently, that is, he is true to himself and his beliefs and, thus, manages to build trust and develop sincere relationships with others that allow him to be followed by workers
Key 2: Keep Your Promises (Consistency)
Being a leader, you have to deal with so many people and say things that are sometimes hard to keep. Don’t break your promises. If you say you’re going to do something, make sure you make it happen. No one trusts those who don’t keep their word.
So keep your promises and, if you commit, stick to them. Keep the commitments made, no matter to whom the word has been given or how little relevance to the leader that promise may have. For example, if a coworker meets a colleague on Wednesday at 11:00, the coworker must be there at the appointed time, otherwise, the trust created will be destroyed.
But your team will understand those circumstances beyond your control, as long as you show your behaviors consistently.
Key 3: Practice Active Listening (Connection)
While talking to your co-workers, make sure you are giving full attention and give them enough time to express their opinions. When talking with them, put their needs first. When your employee feels listened to, the quality of that conversation improves, as well as the leader-employee relationship.
Find an opportunity to get to know each member of your team.
A good leader is someone who inspires and guides rather than imposes. This means that must show empathy with your teammates so that they feel comfortable and relaxed around you and in the work environment.
Ask questions, and then listen. You’ll be surprised what you can learn if you stay quiet during discussions or meetings and let others speak.
Key 4: Always Be Fair To Everyone (Commitment)
Leaders can adjust the mindset of the organization and navigate through periods of fitfulness. Despite the difficulty, people need a leader with the ability to face difficulties, positively impact them and give them confidence.
Be consistent with the bonds you establish in the office. While in the office, make it clear that you treat everyone equally because of your commitment to them and the organization. If you treat some people better than others, it will soon result in a deficit in the “emotional bank account” and even generate unrest among members of your team.
Always treat everyone fair-minded. Maintain the same expectations for every team member and create rules that all team members are expected to respect and follow (e.g., “no rumors”). Some leaders make the team rules explicit, which ensures that everyone agrees to uphold the same set of standards.
Set clear expectations in advance, including clear roles and responsibilities; this ensures there are no surprises. This takes the stress out of the daily routine. Every employee should know what is expected of them and their results, so they won’t be surprised by their feedback performance.
Key 5: Lead By Example (Competency)
If you do what you ask of your team, your request will be much more coherent and powerful. Besides analyzing the capabilities of their teams, good leaders have to be aware of their strengths and weaknesses. Knowing the outstanding skills of each member and knowing the points for improvement is something essential that characterizes a good leader and his team.
A good leader must be able to work side by side with the people he/she is in charge of, as well as distribute tasks according to the abilities of his/her employees.
Consistency is key to great leadership. It’s about consistency in actions, behaviors, moods, expectations… Whenever possible, provide your team with unwavering support, as well as a set of rules and expectations to guide them through good times and bad.
Key 6: Help Your Team Learn And Grow (Contribution)
Leaders are often considered role models, so they must be the benchmark for their peers and so behave responsibly and safely.
Invest the time and resources necessary to train and coach your team. This will prepare them to perform their job better and work more productively and with greater confidence.
A good leader can recognize the special skills and abilities of the people who make up his team. And know how to use those abilities for the benefit of the company, also taking into account that they can continue to develop their talents.
Leaders devise new ways to reward the contribution and performance of their group. They do not overlook the fact that behind the achievement of an ambitious goal, there are many hours of sacrifice and dedication of the group. For this reason, they try to make the gratification meaningful for the collaborator.
Key 7: Tackle Problems Constructively (Character)
If there are work-related problems with some of your co-workers, talk openly with them, and tell them how you feel and what you expect them to do. It’s about giving constructive feedback and preventing the problem from escalating or recurring. People can make mistakes.
For this reason, a good leader must have enough capacity to solve the problem and face the situation due to problems derived from others. No one is perfect. We all learn as we go, even towards the end of our careers. Ask for feedback from your team: what you can do as a leader to help them be more productive.
Or how you can improve their work environment, what process you can change to make the whole team more effective, how you can communicate better with them, etc. And when they give you feedback, accept it and say “thank you”. It’s not easy to listen to constructive feedback, but it helps you improve as a manager, as a professional, and as a person.
Key 8: Let Them See That You Trust Them (Compassion).
If you know your team is working well, offer them recognition and make it clear that you trust them. This will have a very motivating effect on your team. Hire the best people and trust them. Trust is a two-way road: on the off chance that you have zero faith in your group, they won’t confide in you. The more you believe, the more propelled your team will be to move heaven and earth for you.
A good leader can motivate, encourage and direct with enthusiasm the projects that are being carried out. A motivated employee will perform better, achieving greater productivity and confidence in their actions. Achieving the objectives of the team and the company is an essential element of maintaining a good working environment.
Finding a balance between authority and understanding is not always easy. Good Leaders are characterized by being emphatic and close to their group. However, an excess of confidence on either side can affect the results, damaging both the company and the team itself.
Without trust, there is no leadership. But, although it may seem simple, deep down it is not so simple. What does a leader who seeks to give confidence to the team usually do? Efficiently organizes work teams. Instruments clear objectives and sets out the evaluation and control mechanisms to be used.
Compares with the group the deviations between actual and estimated, and together they analyze and install the relevant solutions. Makes the work stimulating for each employee. He opens the way to every initiative.
Promotes the contribution of ideas that make the project managed by the group grow. It provides public recognition of the work and encourages each member to improve, giving him/her the possibility of training and assuming greater responsibilities. When it comes to setting an example, he is always at the forefront. Coaches them in the core interdisciplinary operational processes.
What Is The Difference Between A Manager And A Leader?
Very few managers are leaders. A manager is someone who has people reporting to them; whereas a leader is someone who people will follow, even if they don’t report to them. What separates them is the trust and respect of their team.
When the leader builds trust within the team, it shows. Team members feel safe sharing their opinions without fear of judgment and knowing that the leader is pushing them forward with their best interests in mind. What’s the result? A highly motivated and productive work team. Read our article Qualities of a High-Performing Team to learn more about this topic.
So, a leader is only as effective as his or her team. However, establishing trust takes time and intended effort. People don’t trust words, they trust actions. Besides analyzing the capabilities of their teams, good leaders need to be aware of their strengths and weaknesses. Knowing the outstanding skills of each and knowing the points for improvement is something essential that characterizes a good leader and his team.
Good leaders must always be willing to listen to the concerns and suggestions of their colleagues. A large part of the leader’s job is to know how to send the company’s strategy both internally and externally. So, clear and brief communication is needed to guarantee that the message is seen.
Finally, it is important to keep in mind that for others to trust in someone, someone must have confidence in themselves, in their abilities, and in their capacity to lead others in the first place.
How Can You Apply This In Your Everyday Life?
Sharing personal events, reasoning, doubts, and ways of looking at life, i.e., sharing your thoughts, emotions, and experiences. Accept that others have different views about the same situation.
Communicate as much information as you have and as much as you are allowed to, and create an atmosphere of transparency.
Keep agreements and promises. You must respect previous agreements. If you decide to change certain aspects, be sure to communicate the reasons why.
Accept your limitations. If you don’t know certain information or aren’t sure how to perform a task, accept it! Commit to research and accept suggestions from your co-workers.
Encourage a culture of feedback. Organize monthly meetings to bring your team together to discuss areas for improvement.
Establish a plan. Involve others in decision-making or planning competitive strategies.
Be honest about the risks and rewards of the decisions you make. Let your actions speak for you. Exemplify with your actions the way of working that you want to develop in the team.
Be loyal to others and, above all, to the company in which you work. Follow those actions to which it committed and if they are not fulfilled, explain the reasons why it was not successful.
Bringing together the characteristics of a good leader mentioned above to build a bond of trust with the team. It’s also important to identify possible future risks or have enough responsiveness to solve problems safely. It can transform you into something more than a boss and become a benchmark for the teams in the organization.
In short, without trust, a team cannot function effectively. A good leader is a fundamental piece in the generation of trust within a team and it is essential that this exists so that there is cooperation between each of its members.
See more articles by Carla Fattal.
