No one wants to open up to someone they don’t trust, and leaders often develop reputations based on their behaviors, actions, and mistakes. Being a trustworthy leader is of utmost importance in any organization that wishes to see long-term success, and this is partially because those who trust in their leadership are more likely to be inspired to go further and take greater risks on behalf of the company as a whole than those who don’t trust in their leadership.
One aspect of building trust is to be more personal with everyone on your team. People don’t care how much you know until they know how much you care, and it’s no different in a business environment versus a personal one. It makes building trust easier because, even if something goes wrong, you make a mistake, or the truth is unpopular, the trust of your team will help you work together to solve the problems that arise and create a productive and harmonious environment.
Imagine this scenario: A new boss begins working at a company but his reputation for being dictatorial and inflexible has preceded him. Instead of being welcomed with open arms, everyone avoids eye contact and tries to move past as quickly as possible without engaging in conversation. Even when he does try to engage in conversation with someone, they make an excuse to get out of there as fast as they can.
Obviously, it will take this individual a very long time to build trust because he already has a negative reputation. On the flip side, if someone is put in charge who has no reputation or a positive reputation, building trust will be much easier if they are a mindful leader.
Why is getting personal so important?
Building open and personal relationships with each member of your team will allow you to coach them more effectively long-term. Your skills and knowledge will actually help them (because your openness encourages their openness), you can allow them to know you’re open to feedback (good or bad), and this becomes much easier when they can perceive you as a person rather than just “the boss.”
Simple Ways to Build Trust
1. Be honest and tactful, even if the truth isn’t popular or convenient.
2. Own up to any mistakes you make along the way and work to solve the problem. Involve your team and ask for input to encourage them to be more active participants overall.
3. Open up about something personal if appropriate to a situation. Trading stories is a great way to help build trust and it will help your employees to perceive you as human and more approachable.
4. Continue learning constantly. Truly great leaders are never satisfied and don’t plateau in their skills and knowledge. Lifetime learning is an excellent way to stay productive, keep growing, and stay humble.
5. Replace fear with curiosity. Specifically, if you don’t have the answers, be at peace with the idea that you may have some things to learn from others, too. It isn’t a shortcoming if you don’t allow it to be, and the attitude of, “If I don’t know it now, I’ll find out,” is much more productive than being too afraid to ask questions.
There are a number of other ways to build trust with your team as a mindful leader, but these are an excellent place to begin. Your leadership skills as well as the trust you wish to build will benefit greatly with these simple, effective habits.
