Trust is a very powerful word and there are many examples of trust in action!
The bushfire crisis has highlighted incredible examples of community support and caring for each other: the Australian spirit coming to the forefront during a crisis built on a foundation of trust. Also, new levels of trust emerged with managing remote teams during COVID enabling businesses to re-invent themselves. Moving beyond COVID, people need more trust in government and with one another.
Trust, or lack of, appears when times get tough, however building trust collectively through leadership, impacts others’ lives and makes a difference.
So, how do you build trust in an organisation and what type of leadership skills are necessary? In a March 2020 Forbes article, John Hall addresses “Focus on Trust: Successful Leadership in Times of Crisis.” He indicated what distinguishes a great leader is how they respond in times of crisis. Do they panic, seeing uncertainty ahead? Or do they see the bigger picture — the fact that more than money is at stake; that people must put themselves and their loved ones ahead of business needs? Lives are on the line, and business leaders have a responsibility to be there for their communities, whether they can be there in person or not.
Zig Ziglar an American author and expert in sales, said:
“If people like you, they’ll listen to you, but if they trust you, they’ll do business with you”
Trust is an Essential Leadership Skill
I have seen the difference a trust culture can make within team management and businesses: it saves time in decision making without second guessing and people share more.
In a Pendulum 2020 summit, Mr Stephen MR Covey, a global authority on trust leadership and culture, presented “The Speed of Trust.” He indicated that trust is an essential competency of leadership that is needed today. He offered advice to build trust as a learnable skill by trusting our own behaviours, attitudes and capabilities and then, extending trust to people who we work for, people who work for us, those on our teams or in our organisation. A very important part of Covey’s presentation was, ‘you have to give trust to get trust.’
Let’s Build Trust together
As a leader, what are you doing to build trust? Are you establishing a trusted approach with yourself, your community and within the workplace? It’s critical that leaders develop a trust culture that inspires people to make a difference.
To build trust in your organisation:
· Establish relationships with your tribe
· Give your team positive reinforcement and feedback
· Be there for your team
· Celebrate wins
· Assign shared responsibilities
· Avoid micro-managing
· Be empathetic and encouraging
· Engage in learning and development that inspires innovation
· Throw your life raft to your friends and trusted network when needed
· Display entrepreneurial leadership, courage and kindness
· Act with integrity
Leadership isn’t easy and sometimes we need help. I am always here.
Get in touch today to learn more about how to build trust and set yourself up for success!
Stay Kind. Stay Courageous.
Sonia x
About Sonia McDonald
Sonia McDonald is the CEO and founder of LeadershipHQ and McDonald Inc. Sonia is a leading keynote speaker, leadership advisor, award-winning author and facilitator.
She believes we should lead with kindness and courage, from the heart, doing rather than telling and is known for her mantra ‘just lead’. She leads by example in all these areas and through her one on one practical coaching, leadership training for teams and organisations encourages others to do the same. Sonia has helped hundreds of people on their leadership journey to become the best version of themselves and in turn, inspire and bring out the best in others. Also she and her team have worked and partnered with a number of businesses and companies for over a decade build great leadership, teams and cultures. For more than 25 years, Sonia has been on the front lines of Human Resources, Leadership and People and Culture. She has held leadership positions worldwide and through experience, research and study come to realise what it takes to be a truly great leader.
She is an award-winning published author of Leadership Attitude and Just Rock It! and writes regularly for publications such as The Australian, HRD Magazine, Smart Healthy Women and Women’s Business Media. Sonia has become recognised for her work in the leadership space across the globe where she leads the Outstanding Leadership Awards as well as her work in her leading podcast and leadership channel where she celebrates and showcases great leaders and leadership.
Phone 1300 719 665 www.soniamcdonald.com.au sonia@soniamcdonald.com.au
