3 Must-Haves to Achieve Trust

In today’s business climate, trust is not just a nice-to-have, complimentary personal quality; it is a fundamental economic driver. Stephen Covey described in his book “The Speed of Trust”, how elevated trust levels increase speed and reduce cost in all aspects of a business including relationships, interactions, and transactions. Trust is the lubricating oil that facilitates, strengthens and eliminates the bureaucracy and non-value added activities that we encounter every day.

As leaders there are three fundamentals of trust that we must employ in order to achieve these benefits.

1.     Do what you say you’ll do.

Keeping your word is one of the easiest ways to build stronger relationships and breaking promises is the fastest way to erode trust. Following through with the agreed action speaks louder than any statement. It also provides a visible and tangible outcome that all can witness. “Doing what you say you’ll do” displays respect. Respect for people is a core pillar in the lean philosophy, and is vitally important in building trust. Think of the last time you trusted someone who broke their promise to you. 

2.   Actively Listen and Effectively Communicate.

Listen to the thoughts, feelings and suggestions of your employees, even if you don’t agree with them. Communicate openly and honestly without judging others. Make yourself vulnerable by letting employees know you need their help because you don't have all the answers. We gain more trust through the acknowledgement our own weaknesses. Use language that everyone understands, especially when speaking to different groups of people. “Talking to” rather than “talking at” illustrates that you acknowledge and appreciate the collective intellect of the group.

3.     Always Support your Troops.

When employees know they can depend on management's integrity, their trust can become limitless. Trust is a two way street. When a manager supports his/her team, especially on controversial matters, it demonstrates a level of respect that does not go unnoticed. This concept is also a key metric with regards to employee retention. When employees don’t feel that management “has their back”, they are far less likely to be an engaged, satisfied member of the organization and will likely be looking for alternative employment.

One of the most effective mechanisms to engage people and elevate the level of organizational trust is through the use of self-directed work teams. The creation of these A3 teams provides a foundation where management can demonstrate trust. Allowing the people that do the value-added work to fix their own processes has many benefits.

·      Demonstrates respect for their knowledge,

·      Creates a higher level of ownership,

·      Provides a more sustainable solution,

·      Constructs a better solution, since you are utilizing the company’s experts and

·      Builds trust

In the book “Everybody Matters”, Bob Chapman CEO of Barry-Wehmiller describes this concept as “Responsible Freedom”. Trusting the employee base to do make their lives and the lives of every member of the organization better. This concept of reduced control breaks from historical management styles and is difficult for some managers to accept but can achieve great results when done properly. However, this model is all predicated on a high level of organizational trust.