” Leadership without mutual trust is a contradiction in terms.” – Warren Bennis
Trust is a key component for the health and success of any organization. As an organization grows, the level of trust can begin to deteriorate with lack of communication, misinformation or rumor mills, and promises not being kept by leadership. As an organization grows, it can become more of a challenge to keep all of these things in check. The good news is that rebuilding trust within in a damaged organization is something that can be achieved through simple common sense management principles that will improve morale, productivity, and profitability.
Here are 3 principles that can be put into place to improve trust in any organization:
Equip Your Employee – Provide Tools For SuccessThis may seem like common sense, however, it is common for employees to lose direction and this can lead to discontent. Make a point to assess the strengths and weaknesses of every employee so that they are in the right job. If all of your team members are equipped with the talents and tools for success, their trust in the organization will grow.
Talk To Your Team – Provide Feedback. Most members of an organization will want to know how they are doing. This is good for everybody – words of affirmation and even words of correction when a behavior needs to be tweaked. It’s good to have on-on-one time with every employee for you to provide feedback as well as for you to listen to their needs.
Maintain Consistent Communication – Be Honest It is true that most people prefer to work with or for someone that tells it straight. Positive or negative, the truth is the best solution especially when the outcome affects others. Consistent and honest communication from the leadership down will result in a higher trust factor for the organization as a whole.
One last thought on trust – Trust Begins With You. Earn the respect of those around you – family and coworkers – by demonstrating trust in all of your actions, and success will follow.
