We need to be able to trust our leaders. And trust requires clear and consistent messaging, accountability, respect, and most of all TRUTH. When any of those are lacking, that’s NOT leadership.
If trust and integrity are not at the core of who you are as a leader, as I like to say, “just go home.” There is absolutely no reason anyone should follow you anywhere.
“If you have integrity, nothing else matters. If you don’t have integrity, nothing else matters.” – Alan K. Simpson
Let’s talk about how you, as a leader, can build trust and maintain integrity.
Tell the truth. Always. Trust is the key ingredient to all successful relationships. Tell the truth. As my Dad used to say, “One lie leads to another, and before you know it, you’ve forgotten the first lie you told.”
Communicate honestly. Communicate clearly and regularly. Share as much as you can, especially about business information that may impact the team or their work. Listen. Ask for feedback, ideas, solutions. Model open, honest and respectful communication so the team will mirror that among themselves.
Be accountable. Do what you say you are going to do. Be sure everyone clearly understands expectations and the impact of not meeting those expectations. Challenge your team to higher performance goals and establish an environment where they hold themselves – and each other – accountable for results. Include regular progress reports, open sharing of mistakes and lessons learned, and team discussions on how to move through roadblocks.
Be consistent. Don’t keep changing the rules or make rules apply to some and not to others. When something changes, explain why and encourage a dialogue around it. Oh, and did I say, “listen”?
Be willing to put in the work. Know that trust takes time to build and must be earned. Don’t expect people to trust you just because you are now their leader. Be sure that your actions align with your words and that you tell the truth. Always. Remember that trust can be easily broken and is very difficult to repair.
Model the behavior. To earn trust, you must show trust. Set clear goals and expectations and then trust your team to do what they were hired to do. When something goes wrong, get all the facts before drawing a conclusion. Respond in a constructive, consistent way.
“Contrary to what most people believe, trust is not some soft, illusive quality that you either have or you don’t; rather, trust is a pragmatic, tangible, actionable asset that you can create.” – Stephen Covey
Till next time, keep it real.
Karen
