Do You Trust YOUR Leader ?

Do You Trust YOUR Leader ? 

“Trust him ? Depends what day of the week it is.”
“Depends what he wants me to do for him. “

Does he trust you?

“Same answers. ”

The term ‘engagement’ is often used as the measure of behavioral commitment in teams - highly engaged equals highly productive.

Their number of factors individuals behaviors that combined to make a measurement or assessment of engagement.

Trust between members of the team and the leader is a critical element.

Leadership is a relationship and the glue in any relationship, being in the workplace or outside is trust.

In The Leadership Challenge by Jim Kouzes and Barry Posner, Jim Kouzes says : Trust trumps everything. 

The term “He’s got my back” or variations on that, I somewhat cliché, but in reality it means trust is embedded in the relationship.

And when trust is in place, there are no shades of trust. “I know I can trust him. “is regarded as absolute.

When a leader says, “I’ve asked this staff member to complete this important task and I know he’ll do it well and on time” there is no questioning that this won’t be achieved.
Even if the word isn’t used, the belief that “I trust him” is implicit.

Performance moves to another level when all the relationships in a team built on trust trust.

Engagement is strengthened with all team members knowing that with trust comes support if it’s needed.

Of course, trust is built by actions and the response to those actions which occur over period of time.

Brake trust – and you’re done. Second chances don’t come easily.

Repairing bruised or broken trust is never easy - “I’m sorry, I didn’t mean it” doesn’t cut it.
 Sometimes trust can never be regained. Even though it is built by a series of often small actions, once broken those small trust building reactions have lost their credibility.

And of course, trust goes both ways.

When this exists, all team members will likely know that potential outcomes for the team have a multiplier effect, in terms of results.
Everyone knows that what they individually do to build and validate the trust, provides them with an environment where they are supported totally.

In The Five Practices of Exemplary Leaders in The Leadership Challenge, each Practice helps build or reinforce trust.

Two examples: in Model the Way leaders ‘live their values.’ What trust can I have in you if you don’t live your values, say, of integrity, of honesty, of teamwork. It is called Model the Way - the FIRST Practice - for a reason.
 
The Third Practice - Enable Others to Act - how will you feel if I, as your leader, give you an opportunity to perform in an area which you thought was challenging, beyond you even. You will likely feel not only does my manager believe I can do this, but he trusts me to achieve the outcome.

Maybe trust isn’t the glue in the relationship: let’s call it the ‘Super Glue’.