Increasingly, workers want leaders they can trust. According to the experts, trusting leaders give their workers the power to:
- Think for themselves
- Grow
- Employ personalized methods to deliver results
- Hold themselves accountable to meet goals and deadlines.
- Take reasonable risks and learn from mistakes.
- Devise innovative ways to solve problems.
You may think your employees trust you, but it may be time to assess the situation. Ask:
- Do employees know I trust them and that they have my full support? Are people comfortable admitting mistakes, suggesting solutions, and trying different/better ways to do things?
- Am I fostering a culture of trust with everyone who interacts with our team? Do people want to work with my team and with me? Do people approach me with ideas and talk to me openly and honestly?
Realize that trust is fragile. It takes time to build, and it can be destroyed in a heartbeat. Make building and maintaining trust an ongoing priority for a healthy, engaged workforce.
