How do we rebuild trust in our leadership?
It is up to all levels of management to take the lead in the rebuilding process.
How do we repair broken trust?
Trust underlies a foundation of success. But what practical fixes does this entails?
In this time or organisational restructuring, rapid operational/technological changes and uncertainty, rebuilding trust is definitely a challenging, and not uncommon task.
However, all levels of management can take the lead in this rebuilding process if they follow some basic principles and seven strategic steps.
1. Hold a focus group
One of the best ways to begin a healing and trust-building process is a meeting, or a series of meetings, that allows people to appropriately share their concerns or vent frustrations about people or processes that have contributed to a destabilizing or trust-eroding organisational atmosphere or culture. Definitely, you need a skilled and very objective Leader/facilitator. When employees see that management does not get defensive during this exchange and acknowledges broad concerns and in fact, takes meaningful problem solving steps, trust levels begin to rise.
2. Acknowledge hidden agenda
When possible, speak the unspeakable. Being transparent does not mean you have to put everything on the table, but certainly share appropriate information about problematic issues or about what is and is not in your immediate control, along with what information you do and don't have.
3. Talk straight and ask good questions
Try to get to the point without too much digression or over-explanation, as this will diminish your credibility with your employees. When possible do some preparation; precision of language command attention.
If this is an issue, what keeps you from talking straight - fear of consequences or being wrong, fear of hurting others, wanting to be liked (read..being popular), etc...?
Ask good questions. The essence of a good question is:
a) Humility..I don't have all the answer
b) Openness...I really would like to hear and learn from your point of view.
Remember, when a person is communicating with high emotion, he or she likely still feels misunderstood.
4. Do not bad-mouth others behind their backs, especially members who no longer in the company.
All this does is fuel employee mistrust. What do, or will people say about me when I am not around, or when I am retire? And if people are talking negatively about a current employee, encourage people to talk directly with the person; offer to mediate (or to find a mediator) when appropriate.
5. Do not over-promise and under-deliver (Keep your commitments)
As I like to say, beware of being motivated by ego goals; that is, when your goals are driven less by the needs, demands, resources and challenges of a situation and more by ego and false pride.
Remember the advice from the Guru of Seven Habits of Highly Effective People (Stephen R. Covey), WHEN YOU MAKE A COMMITMENT, YOU BUILD HOPE, WHEN YOU KEEP A COMMITMENT, YOU BUILD TRUST
6. Create a learning, trust building culture
In addition to acknowledging a personal mistake in a timely manner, when possible view errors as less sign of incompetence and more an indicator of inexperience or some maturity, perhaps even boldness.
7. Extend trust
Design rules and procedures for the overwhelming majority of people you can trust. Grant trust abundantly to those who have earned it.
Extend conditionally to those earning it, while examining the situation, risk potential and credibility - the competence and character of those involved for more opportunities to extend trust.
This Q&As are partly extracted from the following source:
[Source: Mark Gorkin; AMT]
