We hear so much in business that the notion of trust is everything. Trust is life, after all. But if you are trying to be a better leader and you are trying to get employees to trust you, what does it take to be better at this skill?
Reaffirm That You Are Trustworthy
Of course, it’s not enough to talk the talk, but you have to walk the walk as well. You need to build a culture of trust and inclusion in your workplace, and you should take inspiration from other companies that are doing it successfully. A company like TCI prioritizes trust to the point where it advertises it front and center and this might be a great way for you to start forcing yourself to become a more trustworthy organization. It all begins with you, but if you are not selling the fact that you are trustworthy, you’ve got to start working harder at reaffirming this, not just with your employees, but with yourself. It’s a very difficult thing to get right, and if you are someone who consistently tells people you are trustworthy but you are anything but, don’t be surprised when people start to walk away.
Be Prepared for Hard Work
Building trust is not just about saying what you will do, but it’s about doing what you say. Building trust is about being consistent and recognizing that it takes hard work. When we earn the trust of someone, it can be a very solid bond that will do so much in the workplace. This is why we’ve got to start thinking about how we can work harder at building trust. It’s not just about the culture of the organization and recognizing that it will take time, but it’s also about making sure that we are looking in the mirror and addressing the skills that are severely lacking in ourselves. Soft skills are pivotal to building trust, and whether it’s your tone of voice, how you come across, or your body language, all of these things will require careful consideration and potentially going back to the drawing board if you’re not eliciting the right response.
Encourage, Don’t Command
We have to remember that trustworthiness is about coming across as thoughtful and not dominating. A great leader doesn’t have to spout orders; they just need to encourage. And this is where we’re seeing a major shift in the workplace. There’s a lot of the old school that feels they need to continually bark orders in order to get what they want. Instead, we should start embodying a more holistic approach to leading and building trust by being truthful and encouraging rather than commanding. It’s something that we can start to build into our lives, not just through our work. It is a very tiring thing if you are used to commanding, but this is where you can start to make changes in your approach or your morning ritual to allow yourself to stop and take stock in the things that are going to make you a better business person in every single way.
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