The Trust Factor: The Most Important Element of Leadership You Cannot Afford to Ignore

Did you know…

• Employees in high-trust environments have 50% higher productivity and 74% less stress. (“The Neuroscience of Trust” by Paul Zak, Harvard Business Review, 2017.)

• Only 46% of employees place “a great deal of trust” in their employers. (“A Global Survey on the Ambiguous State of Employee Trust” by Karyn Twaronite, Harvard Business Review, 2016.)

• 55% of CEOs believe that a lack of trust is a threat to their organization’s growth. (19th Annual Global CEO Survey, PwC, 2016.)

With all of the research, articles, books, and TED talks about trust, you would expect that a great new discovery would have emerged! But in reality, the principles of trust have remained the same from generation to generation. Even children learn at a young age the importance of trust and what results when someone violates their trust. Just watch a child’s response when he is not included in a game that all his “friends” are playing and the betrayal that follows! Why the hurt and betrayal? Because the child trusted his friends to include him, and the friends did not live up to that expectation.

Trust is the confidence that a person or organization is credible and will live up to our expectations. We know that trust is foundational to all of society. For example, just think about what your life would look like if you had to verify EVERYTHING. The sources of your food. The sterilization process used at your dentist. Where your kids are at every hour. The credentials of your doctor. The background of your neighbors. The motives of your boss! You get the point. It’s not that verifying someone’s credentials or checking on the veracity of an institution that you do business with is wrong – it just takes time. If we tried to verify everyone that we are connected with or every institution that we intersect with, we would have time for nothing else since trust is foundational to all of life and society. So, if trust is so essential both personally and professionally, how do we most often damage it?

Top 3 Ways to Lose Trust

While there are many ways to damage trust, here are the top three ways that will strip it the fastest.

1. Be soft on honesty.

It is stating the obvious to say that blatant lies and deception will result in decreased trust in the person who is being untruthful. But for most leaders, it’s not the outright lies that get them in trouble – it’s the massaging or “varnishing” of the truth that causes people to wonder if what you say is really an accurate representation or description. Overstating, underreporting, giving different descriptions to different people… you get the picture. When we are soft on honesty, we are stripping people’s trust in us. 

2. Be hard on others.

It’s one thing to challenge people to stretch and grow in their effectiveness. Sports coaches do this daily in the lives of athletes. However, it’s a completely different thing to be hard on others. When I refer to someone being hard on others, I am referring to them being constantly critical, harsh, uncaring, and even toxic. We may trust someone who pushes us to be better and move beyond what is comfortable, but it would be strange and unhealthy to trust and want to work for someone who makes us feel defeated, worthless, or even worse – threatened. When we are hard on others, we will lose some or possibly all of the trust people may have in us. 

3. Be arrogant.

You know an arrogant person when you meet one. They know better than everyone else. They believe they are special and want to be treated that way. They take the credit for the successes and shift the blame for the mistakes. They expect a seat at the C-suite table because they believe they are entitled to it. And, they are not at all interested in transparency and vulnerability. Why? Because to do so would result in a scene similar to the Wizard of Oz – when the curtain is pulled back, all there was to see was an embarrassed, insecure little man! When we manifest arrogance, we elevate ourselves and suppress others which will only serve to kill trust.

7 Behaviors that Build Trust

So what are some of the most important behaviors to fuel trust? Here are seven to consider.

1. Be consistent.

When we are consistent in our emotions and performance, people are more likely to trust us. Unpredictable mood swings and inconsistent performance in our work will cause people to trust us less.

2. Be personable.

It’s actually quite simple – people tend to give the benefit of the doubt to others who are warm and friendly. This is why those with emotional intelligence often exceed those who just have intellectual intelligence in long-term career success.

3. Be competent.

Would you go to a surgeon who has a reputation of being rated as a solid C minus? It’s unlikely. We are more likely to trust others who are highly competent. The same is true for us – people will be more inclined to follow us when they are confident that we are good at our jobs.

4. Be honest.

People tend to trust those they deem to be truthful; this is obvious. And this is also why the damage is so serious when a person we granted our trust to violates it by lying to us or varnishing the truth. We want to believe in others, and we are greatly disappointed when they deceive us.

5. Be caring.

When we show genuine interest in and concern for others, they are far more likely to trust us. Why would you trust someone who is cold, uncaring, and shows no interest in you? Although, there are rare times when all you need is a short-term (yet vital) need to be met, like a patient with a specialist physician.

6. Be open.

Appropriate transparency with organizational information as well as vulnerability about yourself as a person helps others see that you trust them enough to share. Being open and admitting mistakes models transparency which deepens trust between you and others.

7. Be a promoter.

Not of yourself but of others. There are few things more pathetic than when a leader limits the growth or success of others, often due to his or her own insecurities. When we look out for the interest of others by helping them advance and succeed and by recognizing their contributions, we cultivate seeds of trust.

If you want to experience long-term success, healthy teams, improved relationships, and more productive workplaces, focus on the “Trust Factor.” Trust is the most effective gauge to monitor on your leadership dashboard. Contact us to learn how to create a culture of strong trust.

Jay Desko is the President & CEO of The Center Consulting Group and brings experience in the areas of organizational assessment, leadership coaching, decision-making, and strategic questioning. Jay’s degrees include an M.Ed. in Instructional Systems Design from Pennsylvania State University and a Ph.D. in Organizational Behavior and Leadership from The Union Institute.