Having a trusting work environment doesn’t just feel good – it’s good business.
Building trust takes a dedication of time and effort and must be demonstrated consistently time and again. One need look no further than the recent Volkswagen fiasco to see how quickly trust can evaporate when it is betrayed.
As a leader within your organization, all eyes are on you. Your trustworthiness is critical at all levels of the organization. Here are five trust habits that effective leaders demonstrate:
- Say what you mean, and mean what you say – Sincerity is critical and sharing your true feelings, good or bad, and will reassure your team that there is nothing to fear.
- Be passionate about keeping your promises – Effective leaders recognize that the commitments they make to others are promises and should be treated as promises. And if you break your promises, your team will think it is okay to do so as well.
- Insist on truthfulness within the organization – Sure, we’d all prefer to hear the good news, but tolerating dishonesty and lack of sincerity about the bad news can be an organization’s undoing – the fall of Enron being Exhibit A.
- Be kind – Remember the golden rule. In good times and in bad, a firm and compassionate hand is always more effective than one that is swinging a stick.
- Choose to trust – To distrust is a choice. If you are looking to create a trusting environment, you musts be a trusting leader. As in all things, you must lead by example.
Organizations where employees can put their trust safely in their leaders are more likely to be creative, less risk averse and productive. Trust is good business, and it starts with you.
About the Author
Affinity HR Group is a full service human resources consulting firm that specializes in advising small and medium-sized enterprises. Our services include recruiting and selection, HR policies and compliance, ad hoc HR support, compensation and performance management, and training and development. If you have questions on this subject, feel free to email Affinity HR Group, visit thier website or call them at 1-877-660-6400.
