Winning Trust
Trust is the relational bond between you and your team formed around a common goal, that unlocks mutual confidence in each other, and that propels the competence and commitment of each person to achieve the goal. When trust is high almost anything can be achieved but when trust breaks down, no amount of competence can rescue commitment to the goal, and failure becomes certain. Trust is simply that important.
It is the size of the shared goal (what is at stake) and the level of competence and commitment required to achieve it that determines the level of trust necessary between people. The bigger the goal the more people will need to give of themselves and therefore the more 'personal' trust needs to become. For example, Special Forces personal in the military literally trust their lives on the competence and commitment of their comrades when they take on the high risk operations they are trained to carry out. Highly paid professional sports teams must also develop high levels of mutual trust in each others' competence and competitive commitment, to win championships.
Impact Zone thinking demands big goals, but it also demands high levels of trust to achieve them. So what comes first, trust in your organisation, or your organisation proving to you they can be trusted to deliver elite performance? When your goals require an elite standard of organisational performance it must be remembered that their highest contributions can only be inspired not managed, and this requires leaders to make the first move, but not without help. ProDex measures levels of trust between leaders and teams in your organisation and peoples' response to your call to achieve higher goals.
Build High Levels of Trust
Building trust is a process whereby trust is first shown to those who need to be trusted. It is a process that must be believed in and that requires commitment as does any approach to performance improvement. Following are the essentials to doing this.
1. Transparency
Be transparent in your dealings with your team. Because trust unlocks mutual confidence in each other, and mistrust destroys it, transparency is vital.
2. Serve
Serve your team. People respond very quickly to a confident leader who shows that caring for their team does not undermine their authority, but enhances it. A team usually mirrors their leader.
3. Defend
Defend your team. Nothing will inspire commitment to your goals more than when you defend them and take full responsibility for their performance.
4. Do not Blame or Judge
Do not blame or judge others. The price of leadership is taking full personal responsibility for the team when things go wrong but sharing in the achievement when things go well.
5. Open to Ideas
Be open to ideas from the team. Innovative ideas help forge trust and create the environment for 'Impact Zone' performance.
6. Open to Learn
Demonstrate that you are also learning. Humility is a sign of leader strength not weakness.
