Trust

Trust your team and staff until they give you a reason not to! I am not saying trust blindly; however, I feel it is very important to trust your team. I say, trust them, but must still inspect them. I know this is a very difficult act, but without trust I believe that you will never be a great leader.

According to a study of 1,800 employees by Aon’s Loyalty Institute of Ann Arbor, MI, 13 percent of US workers distrust their employers on the most basic level --- they don’t feel free from fear, intimidation or harassment at work. Aon also found that less than half of employees trust the leaders of their organizations overall.

I have seen first hand many command style leaders that come into an organization and make the fatal mistake of leading without earning trust. Leading with fear and command without your team's trust will lead your organization down a slippery slope that will produce destructive results.

Here are some tips for leaders to build trust in their teams:

• Invest in your team! Read previous post
• Inspect your team. You must hold your team accountable for each of their actions. They must know what is expected of them, and held to that expectation.
• Say what you mean, and mean what you say. Don't candy coat what needs to be said. Trust is formed by a relationship, but don't try to become your teams best friend. Leadership is not about making friends, it's about leading!
• Be authentic and real. Great leaders must put their pride aside and be authentic with their team. Trust is only formed when a true relationship is formed. If you are not "real" with your team you will never form trust.

This is consistent with research by Patrick Lencioni’s Table Group, San Francisco. In his, "The Five Dysfunction's of a Team: A...", Lencioni illustrates how in an executive team trust is a fundamental platform.

Trust must be a core foundation in your leadership!