Trust: The Engine for Getting Things Done

When the Great Recession struck in 2008, Americans lost confidence in many leaders and the ideal of leadership itself. They have become much more skeptical of those with power, authority, and influence. Skepticism is not always a bad thing. It can force leaders to be more intentional about earning and keeping their people's trust. Without trust a leader's influence is like a car without an engine. You can sit in the driver's seat and look good, but you aren't going anywhere. Here are a few suggestions to build trust.

• BE TRANSPARENT - Just plain old honesty is the best policy. Be upfront about your weaknesses and mistakes. Ask for help when you need it. So many leaders feel the need to demonstrate that they have the answers and don't make mistakes. If you are a leader and you are reading this then brace yourself for what I'm about to tell you. YOUR FOLLOWERS ALREADY KNOW YOUR WEAKNESSES! If you don't admit your weaknesses and mistakes you are seen as unauthentic or fake to your people. People find honesty and humility attractive. When leading during difficult times, transparency is your ally. Leaders should address major concerns openly and frankly, not behind closed doors. They need to show that they recognize the concerns of everyone on the team.
• INVOLVE THE TEAM IN SOLVING PROBLEMS - The knee-jerk reaction to a problem is to close the door with just your inner-circle and solve it. The people closest to the problem often have the best solutions. Building trust means allowing your people to help solve your largest challenges.
• BE A SERVANT LEADER - It's your job to serve those you lead. Leading is not about power, title, or authority. It's the ability to both earn and keep the loyalty and trust of those we lead. If you add value to the lives of your followers, then you will have earned their trust and loyalty.
• LEAD BY EXAMPLE - What you say as a leader and what you do as a leader must align. Have you known leaders who have said one thing and done another? Human nature gives us the ability to see others' faults without seeing our own. It creates a blind-spot for all of us. The best way to find out how you are doing in the area of leading by example is to ask a trusted colleague for their observations and feedback. 

Trust is the foundation of leadership. Without it you are leading with only the authority of the position. If you want to get people's best efforts, you have to earn their trust and never take it for grant it.