Trust is defined as:
Firm belief in the reliability, truth, ability, or strength of someone or something (Oxford).
Assured reliance on the character, ability, strength, or truth of someone or something (Merriam-Webster).
In the Bible, trust means a bold, confident, sure security.
The National Institute of Health wrote a paper on “What is Trust.”
Key points of the definition include perceived benefits and risks, uncertainty, credibility, and vulnerability. It involves a 2-way dialog.
Trust is “a set of expectations among this broad amorphous collection of people, groups, and institutions.”
So how do you earn other people’s trust as a leader?
Below are strategies and action items that will increase your personal credibility and trust among your peers, co-workers, other leaders at work and in your life.
Assessment and Planning
Strategy: Begin by assessing your current leadership style and team dynamics, identifying areas ripe for improvement in credibility and trust-building.
Strategy: Assessment tests are a great place to start.
Conduct 360-degree feedback assessments to gather insights from peers, subordinates, and superiors regarding your leadership style and its impact on trust within the team.
Action: Schedule regular one-on-one meetings with team members to discuss their perspectives on your leadership and areas for improvement.
Utilize self-assessment tools or personality assessments to gain deeper insights into your leadership strengths and areas for development.
SMART Goal Implementation
Strategy: Create SMART (Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Relevant, Time-bound) goals tailored to bolstering credibility, prioritizing those aligned with immediate objectives or areas requiring refinement.
Strategy: Establish accountability partnerships with a colleague or mentor to review progress toward your credibility-building goals and provide constructive feedback.
Strategy: Establish accountability partnerships with a colleague or mentor to review progress toward your credibility-building goals and provide constructive feedback.
Action: Break down larger goals into smaller, actionable steps with specific deadlines to ensure steady progress.
Share your SMART goals with your team to foster transparency and accountability, inviting their feedback and support in achieving them.
Flexibility and Adaptation
Strategy: remain open to feedback and ready to adopt strategies based on outcomes and evolving circumstances.
Strategy: regular check-ins with your team to solicit feedback on your leadership effectiveness and willingness to adapt and theirs.
Action: Solicit anonymous feedback through surveys or suggestion boxes to encourage honest input from team members on areas where your leadership could be more adaptable.
Actively seek out opportunities for professional development or training to enhance your adaptability skills and stay abreast of changing leadership trends.
TIP
I did this when I as a director of a team. Start with the design and placement of the suggestion box. Great way for a team building exercise. Make sure that suggestions / surveys are typed in the same font. With a small team, I knew who was putting in what into the suggestion box.
Consistency
Strategy: Everything takes time. Recognize that.
Strategy: Develop a personal leadership development plan outlining your core values, guiding principles, and commitments to consistency in leadership behaviors.
Action: Communicate your personal leadership development plan to your team, emphasizing your commitment to consistent actions that foster trust and credibility.
Regularly revisit and reflect on your plan, identifying areas where you’ve upheld consistency and areas for improvement.
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Evaluation and Reflection
Strategy: Regularly evaluate the impact of implemented strategies, reflect on successes and challenges to continually refine and enhance.
Strategy: Start with getting a mentor or peer coach outside of your current company or agency. This is beneficial for you giving you the ability to speak freely. If you start with a mentor at your work or agency, you risk the relationship in case someday they become your boss or you become their boss.
Action: Schedule meetings as time allows for each of your busy schedules. Allow time for goal setting. Talk about goal achievements.
Building trust and credibility is an ongoing process that requires patience, dedication, and adaptability. While the outlined strategies provide a framework, how you implement them and the order in which you do so will depend on your unique circumstances and leadership style.
TIP
When not meeting with your mentor, keep a journal. This helps with getting all the thoughts inside you to a tangible product you can read and reflect on a daily basis.
Building trust and credibility is essential for effective leadership, involving a balance of head and heart. It contains reliability, vulnerability, and credibility, and requires a two-way dialogue. Strategies for earning trust include assessment and planning, SMART goal implementation, flexibility, consistency, and evaluation, each requiring dedication and adaptability.
Take the initiative to assess your leadership style and team dynamics, identifying areas for improvement in credibility and trust-building. Set SMART goals tailored to bolstering credibility, and establish accountability partnerships for feedback and support. Stay flexible and open to feedback, consistently implementing strategies while reflecting on successes and challenges. Remember, building trust is an ongoing process that demands patience, dedication, and adaptability.
