The Value of Trust When It Comes to Leadership and How to Create It

How valuable is trust in leadership? Studies have shown that trust is the number one impact on the inefficiency of companies, but we probably didn’t need studies to tell us that. Without giving much thought to it at all, we’d likely say “very important.” Given a scale of 1 to 10, we would probably average somewhere between 9 to 10. At least, that’s what my course participants have rated when asked.

What makes a leader or leadership trustworthy? Indeed, most would say some version of doing what they say they are going to do or expected to by virtue of the given responsibility. Add in reliability as a key trait. Other things may come to mind, but ultimately they are likely to fall into the ‘being your word’ bucket.

Trust is Earned?

We have always heard that trust is earned, and that’s right, right? Pick someone to have in mind that you do not trust or something about them that you don’t trust. It could be as simple as not trusting that person to be on time. Be sure it’s someone you can see that you could or even would like to trust again. Not someone you won’t forgive; forgiveness is a cousin to trust but different.

Now that you have someone in mind, when will you trust them? Is it when they have done something to earn that trust back ten times, 100 times? Or is it a date on the calendar that if they don’t break that trust by then, you will trust them? Hard to put a finger on it. We don’t walk around keeping tabs on the trust debit account, do we?

Consider that trust is not earned. There is no milestone you can point to for others and say, “yep, trust is earned.”. That’s because trust is given. Not earned. Whether it is us trusting others or others trusting an organization or us, it is something we give. It is a given commodity that we do not take lightly.

Creating Trust

If trust is given and not earned, is all hope for having trust lost? No. Fortunately, it can be created. We can start by measuring, simply asking if trust is present. Asking those around us whom we can count on to give us a straight answer. Organizations can ask those within the organization if trust is present. A client sent out an in-depth anonymous employee survey, which got an objective look at how trust and satisfaction are viewed by employees from the top down. Asking if trust is present is also key in creating it. Distinct from ‘earning’ trust, there are simple ways to create it, and checking in is one of them. What is important is not that the affirmation of trust is present but looking for what is missing where it is not. An example might be; not being trusted to be on time for meetings or, as an organization, meetings don’t reliably start on time.

Another way to create trust is the same quality we see in leadership and being a leader. Be an example of being your word. Take the actions you or the organization say to accomplish. Let’s also acknowledge that we can not always be our word as individuals or organizations. However, we can always be responsible for it. Rather than stepping over a breakdown of our word, it is the opportunity to honor our word by acknowledging what happened and stating what will happen now. Even if that is to say, it won’t happen.

The final piece in creating trust may not be as apparent as checking in or being your word. What happens when others want to contribute or collaborate with you genuinely? If we look at those occurrences, it inherently creates trust through a sense of connectedness. When we are interested in others and willing to contribute and collaborate, that may be the fastest way to build trust with individuals. For organizations, a culture of leadership that looks for ways to contribute to the team and foster collaborative efforts is key to creating trust.

Takeaway and Practice

The takeaway or practice for creating trust certainly can start by noticing for ourselves whether trust is present or not in our or the organization’s quality of behavior. But don’t get stuck in your head! Checking in with others is critical to see the blind spots or if what you see is confirmed.

Do what we say or are expected, both as an individual or organization, and be responsible for it when we are not. There will be those times.

Be interested in looking for ways to contribute and collaborate. An excellent place to start is by asking them how you or the organization can do that.

Remember that trust is given. If it’s not present, there is an unwillingness to give it; consider a conversation a great place to create it.