Trust is the air needed to develop and sustain connection, communication, collaboration, and companionship. Trust is vital to our survival. The more trust others have in us, the more responsibility is given to us. The more trust we have, the more influence we can have on others.
Yet if trust is so important, why do managers do so little to develop and sustain it? It almost seems that many managers expect their employees to trust them. As if authority somehow guarantees trust. Managers would do well to develop trust with their employees.
Trust in the manager-employee relationship is critical to having a strong organizational structure. When managers develop a healthy reservoir of trust, it will better enable companies to develop employees, withstand times of change, and overcome turnover.
Here are some simple strategies for developing and maintaining trust:
Be Vulnerable
People like other humans. Share something from your personal journey is a great way to show your humanity. This, in turn, creates a vulnerability loop as others let their guard down by sharing their humanity.
Be Accountable
Take 100% responsibility for failures and mistakes. Displaying courage will make it easier for others to trust you. As courage is in such short supply it tends to have a magnetic impact on others.
Be Competent
While you don’t have to know everything, you have to know enough. You must also devote yourself to continuously improving your knowledge base so you can help your employees with work challenges.
Be Humble
A quick way to erode trust is to B.S. someone. Don’t come across as a know-it-all. It’s okay to say “You know what, I don’t know the answer to that, but I’m going to find out.”
Be Caring
Show genuine care and attention to the needs of your employees. Inquire about their interests, passions, family. Sharpen your Emotional Intelligence skills so you don’t miss opportunities to connect and build trust.
At the end of the day, if everything is all about work, you will only get their compliance. When in actually, the holy grail is commitment.