Consider Developing Trustworthiness Trait
"Trust is the glue of life. It's the most essential ingredient in effective communication. It's the foundational principle that holds all relationships." ~
Stephen Covey
Gossip, doubt, indecisiveness, talent leaving are all the signs that something is fundamentally wrong within the organization. When even the best employees, who devoted years of their career to an organization, are looking for other opportunities, it is time to assess the actions of leaders within this workplace.
One potential reason for what seems like a “fall out about to happen” situation is that a leader or managers need to develop Trustworthiness Trait. When a leader is trustworthy, employees tend to feel safe and comfortable to open up. They have courage to take appropriate risks in order to create innovative ideas and approaches. In general, when people feel that they are trusted, they have better control of their personal life and actions, which applies to work situations.
When I worked in the companies where my leader trusted that I would meet my goals and would ask for help when needed, I was always exceeding expectations. I asked for the feedback and received genuine coaching which only reinforced my internal ability to see the big picture and think of better ways to contribute to company goals. My trust in this leader was unwavering, because I always knew that she will be there when I needed her advice or feedback. She was honest and transparent. She respected my personal circumstances and genuinely cared for me as a person.
Of course, the least experience and expertise one has, the more attention they might need from a manager, but if this manager is exhibiting trust and is trustworthy himself, an individual will have more motivation to perform at their fullest potential. This doesn't apply to the employees with poor work ethics or low moral standards, and for these people, not many leadership styles are appropriate – no matter if the leader is trustworthy or not.
The opposite to the trustworthy leaders, and I have observed it several times, are those who can't keep promises, disregard or better yet, disrespect employees’ personal time, constantly question their actions, take credit for the work of others, etc. In these cases, employees became resentful, some withdrawn, and some left jobs.
10 ways to improve trustworthiness trait:
1. Be reliable - keep your word.
2. Demonstrate caring and thoughtful actions.
3. Don't lie and deceive.
4. Believe in goodness of people.
5. Be compassionate and kind.
6. Keep confidential information to yourself unless someone is in danger and the information has to be revealed.
7. Don’t gossip and stop the rumors before they spread.
8. Admit when you are wrong and apologize! You are human, you will make mistakes!
9. Choose integrity over “easy” decisions.
10. Believe in yourself and continuously invest in your growth.
When trust is absent, people spend excessive amounts of time covering their behinds vs. creating innovative solutions and helping your company grow. Do people around you perceive you as a TRUSTWORTHY person?
