LEADERSHIP PRACTICES THAT BUILD A CULTURE OF TRUST

GOALS AND ROLES

Most team conflict is rooted in unclear or misaligned goals and roles that are mistakenly labeled as interpersonal issues. To minimize conflict and increase trust, it is critical for leaders to establish clear goals and roles that achieve results and positive relationships.

DELIVER RESULTS

I often see content that focuses solely on the relational aspects of leadership effectiveness without giving equal weight to the importance of delivering results. For an employee to put their trust in a leader they must believe that the leader can get the job done and build trusting relationships.

WE VS. ME

Do the people you lead to believe that you have their best interests at heart or do they feel you are driven by selfish motives? To build trust a leader must exhibit behaviors that demonstrate a WE versus ME orientation. Examples include sharing credit, delegating authority, and asking questions.

VARIED PERSPECTIVES

I can get a quick read on a team’s level of trust by observing if team members are willing to appropriately challenge their leader’s perspective. This type of interaction is a good indication that team members feel safe to share and challenge perspectives in the pursuit of finding the best answer.