Patrick Lencioni said it best in his best selling book, The FIVE dysfunctions of a team that teams that are unwilling to be vulnerable, be genuinely open and authentic with  one another have an absence of trust that can disrupt the whole organization

Stephen Covey supports this view in his book, The Speed Of Trust, that almost anything one needs to do, can be done better when you start with trust.

So if trust is so important, why is this not prioritized in more organizations? 

A study conducted by Global ELemets Services surveyed 1,000 full-time workers—looked into HR complaints, in particular , employee monitoring and Google search trends and found a growing trend in the lack of trust between employees and employers in 2021. They revealed:

• 83% said they trust their HR manager or department; however, two-thirds said they’ve neglected to report something to HR because they didn’t think HR would fix the issue.
• 49% who have neglected to report something cited fear of retaliation. 
• 74% of those who work remotely are concerned about their employer monitoring when and how much they work. 
• 76% of workers who use a computer are concerned about their employer monitoring their communications.
•  64% said they have deleted browsing history at some point. 
• 53% said they have deleted a Slack or similar instant message so it cannot be seen by a boss 

Not a good look for consultants like me that often work in the HR field! 

The fact remains, workplace trust is an earned currency. It is defined as a feeling that is uncompromised by doubt. A team that doesn’t trust its leader may get the job done, but it cannot promise successful or goal-oriented outcomes. If the team trust their leaders, on the other hand, they anticipate that their leader will do what is best for everyone involved. 

A brilliant and timely video, shared by Simon Sinek demonstrates this beautifully and accurately. He shares his experience when he worked with the Navy Seals where he asked them to describe the different types of people in the team. Simon goes on to share that the person who was a high performer but was untrustworthy, was a toxic leader and toxic team member. 

For all leaders and potential leaders reading this, build your trust capability by engaging the 5 element below:

The Top 5 key elements of Leadership Trust

Integrity – Make sure your actions don’t contradict your values as a leader. Say what you mean and mean what you say

Competence – Your overall knowledge and abilities will help you make timely decisions. 

Consistency – Being consistent and reliable throughout challenging projects or tasks will help team members build trust in leadership.

Openness – An approachable and forthcoming character will increase trust and commitment.

Loyalty – Your willingness to protect interests sometimes at the cost of your own if it means a better work environment will make a huge difference.

Trust is a two-way street, but as a leader in your organization, you need to set a precedent that others can follow. If you are struggling with building trust, get in touch with us at The People’s Partner. We can help you transform your team into a squad of devoted individuals.