As I've worked more intentionally and extensively with local government, I've recently had the privilege of talking with senior leaders in city and county government from all over the United States. This has led me to consider the significant role of trust in leadership. It is difficult to imagine a position where the term "conflicting interests" is more descriptive - and the need to develop trust among those interests is more important.

These leaders are on the front lines of public service and are required to balance and nurture relationships with constituencies such as councils, neighborhood groups, business leaders, staff members, the public and the media. This is a place where strong work relationships are so important that public management careers - indeed, whole communities - can be made, nurtured, or destroyed on the strength of the trust between the individuals in the relationship. I hope you enjoy and take home a "trust nugget" or two from this article.

"The glue that holds relationships together - including the relationship between the leader and the led - is trust, and trust is based on integrity." Brian Tracy

"Trust is the lubrication that makes it possible for organizations to work." Warren Bennis.

Trust and Leadership

It has been a long and demanding journey for me personally to learn about trust since leaving the corporate world two years ago. I now lack the benefit of daily contact with colleagues and our "water-cooler" conversations about issues related to relationships and trust. Meeting new people and arranging new relationship agreements has been a huge learning experience that has forced me to develop, accept and embrace my own judgment about trustworthiness - for good or for bad. I've made some mistakes in trusting some people, but I'm grateful for these lessons because now I can share them with you. For example, I have learned to be cautious about trusting too quickly (which is admittedly part of my nature - both an asset and a liability).

So, as a leader, what does it take to invite others to put their trust in you?

Why is trust so important to successful leadership?

1. Because you can't build and sustain relationships without a basic foundation of trust and sustainable relationships are essential to getting your job done.
   
   
2. Because you absolutely, positively cannot lead others without them believing that, when they follow you, they will be doing the right thing. We know that motivating others to follow a vision is essential to leadership, and trust is the foundation.
   
   
3. Because trust is easier to cultivate and sustain from the beginning of a relationship than it is to rebuild once it has been lost.

What makes us place our trust in a leader?

For many of us, this is intuitive. We either feel that we trust a person or we don't. Therefore, I asked a few colleagues and clients what behaviors and actions are needed for them to place their trust in someone. Overwhelmingly, these are their top three answers, in the order of the frequency in which they were given:

1. Demonstrate a consistent commitment for having the "feet follow the mouth." It's vitally important that leaders demonstrate that they will do what they say they will do. Note the emphasis on "consistent." The use of this word is intentional, because inconsistent action results in a lack of trust in a leader.
   
   
2. Exhibit integrity and honesty. These traits are hard to define, but we all know them when we see them.
   
   
3. Listen and show respect for others even when you don't "need" to. The leader sets the tone throughout an organization for the way employees are treated, and employees then deal with stakeholders (including customers) in that same manner. If the leader treats employees well, the stakeholders will be happy.

The bottom line is that trust is a blend of who you are as well as concrete actions that you take on commitments. Earning and sustaining trust takes dedication and practice. The hard part is remaining consistent in a world where we are continually assaulted with trials that test our trustworthiness.

The good news is that when leaders build up a "trust storehouse" by consistently demonstrating these behaviors, they may be forgiven for minor slippages in behavior, especially if they show good-faith efforts to get back on track. Build up your trust storehouse, and some mistakes in trust are acceptable.

When others have trust in us, it really does make it easier to lead and motivate others. You may benefit from some feedback on whether you are on the right "trust" path by hiring a coach or consultant to conduct a 360-degree feedback or a multi-rater feedback instrument on your behalf.

 

Great Reading

Malcolm Gladwell's "The Tipping Point" may not appear to precisely fit with the topic of this newsletter. However, I invite you to read this fascinating account about what it takes to get an idea or product to "tip" into popular culture, and consider what it means for trust and leadership in organizations or communities. This is a fun read, but you can also look beneath the surface and see how the theories apply to your own interests.