Trust: Interest and Competence

(Part Seven of a multipart series)

In previous posts we have been discussing the critical role that trust, and maintaining trust within your organization has, upon your employees. Today's post will explore the role that genuine interest and the leader's competence has in a successful organization.

It is very important for a leader to protect the interest of all employees in a work group, as well as the interests of the company. You do this by: not talking about absent employees to their peers, not allowing others in a work group or team to place blame on their peer(s); by not (ever) tolerating name calling or finger-pointing. If you observe these types of behavior you, as a leader, MUST take quick action (albeit still being kind and courteous) to stop this type of negativity from eroding the trust and confidence from your work group.

Next, leaders must be able to display, if not literally "ooze" confidence in supervisory and other work tasks. You should take the time to carefully study, understand and "know" what you are talking about. If you don't know it, then admit it and ask for your team to help you understand, learn and grow in your position.

We've seen somewhat of a recurring "theme" in how trust is instilled and maintained in an organization. However, we cannot emphasize enough how important it is for the leader to pay close attention to its power to either build up, or destroy, employee confidence and/or productivity and job satisfaction. As a leader, you need to pay careful attention to, and protect the interests of those you lead (and within the organization) as well as display competence at all times.

Copyright M. A. Webb, 2005. All Rights Reserved

Source: http://LeadershipSecrets.blogspot.com

PUBLISHING AND REPRINT RIGHTS: You have permission to publish this article electronically, in print, in your ebook or on your website, free of charge, as long as the author's information and web link are included at the bottom of the article and the article is not changed, modified or altered in any way. The web link should be active when the article is reprinted on a web site or in an email. The author would appreciate an email indicating you wish to post this article to a website, and the link to where it is posted.

Trust: Commitments and Confrontation

(Part Six of a multipart series)

As we mentioned in our previous post, a leader cannot always control the trust experience in their organization. But, they can act in ways that promote trust within the immediate work environment. Today's post will explore integrity and keeping commitments as well as confronting the hard issues in a timely fashion.

Leaders should expect their supervisors and managers to act with integrity and to keep their commitments. By the same token, leaders should do the same. If you cannot keep a commitment, explain to the employees what is happening in the situation without delay. Never postpone addressing issues or breaches in integrity, or inability to deliver on a commitment. A leader's current behavior and actions will be perceived by the employees as the basis for predicting future behavior. Supervisors or managers who act as if they are trustworthy will more likely be followed with fewer complaints.

Next, confront the hard, or difficult issues in a timely fashion. Again, never postpone or ignore addressing important issues with employees. If an employee has poor work habits and/or is abusing the system, it is important to confront them about this, or other issues, as they occur. Other employees will watch and trust you more if you confront the hard issues with respect and courtesy, in a timely manner.

As we have noted above, a leader has an obligation to have high integrity, honor the commitments that are promised (either their own or that of the organization they work for) and to, in a kind and courteous manner, address any difficult issues with employees in a timely manner. By doing this, you will assure the employees that you CAN be trusted and are worthy of them putting their trust in you.

Copyright M. A. Webb, 2005. All Rights Reserved.

Source: http://LeadershipSecrets.blogspot.com

PUBLISHING AND REPRINT RIGHTS: You have permission to publish this article electronically, in print, in your ebook or on your website, free of charge, as long as the author's information and web link are included at the bottom of the article and the article is not changed, modified or altered in any way. The web link should be active when the article is reprinted on a web site or in an email. The author would appreciate an email indicating you wish to post this article to a website, and the link to where it is posted.

Trust: Hiring and Promoting People

(Part Five of a multipart series)

Leaders cannot always control the trust experienced in larger organizations, but you can act in ways that will promote trust within the immediate work environment. One way in which to promote trust is the hiring and promoting of people in the workforce.

Look to hire people who are capable of forming positive, trusting interpersonal relationships with other people and co-workers who report to them or to other supervisory positions.

Next, leaders should develop the skills of all the employees that are under your leadership, especially those that are supervisors or those desiring promotion. Addressing their needs and developing a full understanding of the tasks before them will help you to build an interpersonal relationship, be more effective as a leader, and ultimately gain the trust of that individual.

As always, keep employees truthfully informed at all times. Provide as much information as you can comfortably divulge as soon as possible in any situation. Remember that most erosion in trust is a result of that trust either being broken by the leader in past experiences, the organization or as a result of that employees prior experiences. By keeping everyone informed you will assure them that you are looking out for their best interests and that you are a person who can be counted on.

Copyright M. A. Webb, 2005. All Rights Reserved

Source: http://LeadershipSecrets.blogspot.com

PUBLISHING AND REPRINT RIGHTS: You have permission to publish this article electronically, in print, in your ebook or on your website, free of charge, as long as the author's information and web link are included at the bottom of the article and the article is not changed, modified or altered in any way. The web link should be active when the article is reprinted on a web site or in an email. The author would appreciate an email indicating you wish to post this article to a website, and the link to where it is posted.

Trust: How to Maintain It

(Part Four of a multipart series)

In previous posts we have explored the definition of trust, why it is needed for an organization to remain healthy and then the role the leader plays in building trust. In today's post we will look at how leaders maintain trust.

The best way to maintain trust in the workplace is to keep it from being broken in the first place. Integrity in the leadership of an organization is absolutely critical. Another critical factor that can break a trust relationship is how leaders communicate with staff and the truthfulness, or transparency, of that communication. Leaders and organizations promote a trusting environment when there is a strong, unifying mission and vision. By providing information about the rationale, background, and thought processes behind decisions will also build and maintain trust. People, too, are more apt to trust their organization when it is successful and their own competence, contribution and direction are recognized as being part of that big picture.

Unfortunately, even in an organization where trust is a priority, things can happen, even on a daily basis, that break down the trust relationships. Whether it is a misunderstood communication; an incorrectly filled customer order or an employee question that goes unanswered; all can erode the trust an employee places in their leader and/or organization. Looking at Tway's trust model, people are taught to mistrust as they are repeatedly misinformed and misled. It can happen so quickly and yet so innocently.

In summary, leaders and organizations who truly put trust as a high priority will be watchful of small signs where a breakdown in communication or process may have occurred and wisely, and quickly, resolve the problem, sometimes through the help of others, to avoid a larger and full breakdown of the entire trust model.

Copyright M. A. Webb, 2005. All Rights Reserved

Source: http://LeadershipSecrets.blogspot.com

PUBLISHING AND REPRINT RIGHTS: You have permission to publish this article electronically, in print, in your ebook or on your website, free of charge, as long as the author's information and web link are included at the bottom of the article and the article is not changed, modified or altered in any way. The web link should be active when the article is reprinted on a web site or in an email. The author would appreciate an email indicating you wish to post this article to a website, and the link to where it is posted.

Trust: The Leaders Critical Role

(Part Three of a multi-part series)

In our previous posts we discussed what trust is and how critical it is for an organization to remain healthy and successful. In today's post we will review the leaders critical role in establishing and maintaining trust as part of the organization's big picture and needs.

There have been a number of reserarch studies done with sports teams and in the workplace to assess the employee's or team members perception of trust. At Simon Fraser University the basketball team was studied to determine the impact of trust on the teams success. After surveying the players on this, and 30 other teams, it was determined that players on the successful teams were more likely to believe that their coach knew what was required for them to win. The players believed the coach had their best interests at heart and they believed that he/she would come through on what was promised to them. Interestingly enough, trust in their teammates was not deemed important in the study.

Gannett News Service reported in March, 2001 regarding a worldwide study. In the study 67 % (percent) of the supervisors or leaders responded by saying they were committed to their employees. However, only 38% (percent) of the employees felt that their employers were committed to them.

In another study conducted by Loyola University, the findings suggested several implications for organizational performance and changed affected the trust relationship between employers and employees.

The Loyola study also reported that a leader's skill in developing relationships that reduce or eliminate trust has a definite impact on employee turnover. This turnover may be a result of organizations failing to "draw people in." Results also indicate that trust in the supervisor or leader is associated with the individual performance of the employee, meaning that the more successful the employee the higher the level of trust.

Clearly the leader's role in establishing trust with those they lead or employees is critical to the success of the organization or team. The "why" or "how" trust is established and the reasons for losing, or lack of, trust will be explored in our next post.

Copyright M. A. Webb, 2005. All Rights Reserved

Source: http://LeadershipSecrets.blogspot.com

PUBLISHING AND REPRINT RIGHTS: You have permission to publish this article electronically, in print, in your ebook or on your website, free of charge, as long as the author's information and web link are included at the bottom of the article and the article is not changed, modified or altered in any way. The web link should be active when the article is reprinted on a web site or in an email. The author would appreciate an email indicating you wish to post this article to a website, and the link to where it is posted.

Trust: Why is it Critical to an Organization?

(Part Two of a multipart series)

How important is building trust in the work environment? History tells us that people have bene interested in trust since Aristotle (384-322 BC). Artistotle suggested that Ethos, the trust of a speaker by the listener, was based upon the listener's perception of the three characteristics of the speaker.

Artistotle went on to state that these three characteristics were:

• Intelligence of the speaker (or correctness of opinions or competence)
• Character of the speaker (reliability, which is a competence factor and honesty)
• Goodwill of the speaker (or favorable intentions towards the listener)

Using these same three characteristics we can see that there hasn't been much change in the workplace today in terms of placing trust in one another.

Research done by others, including Dennis Tway (see Part One of this same series) have shown us that trust is the basis for much of the environment that you, as a leader, want to create in the workplace. Trust is critical and a necessary precursor employees:

• feeling able to rely upon a person
• cooperating with and participation as a team within a group
• taking thoughtful and well-calculated risks, and
• experiencing believable (or "trusted") communications

Trust is a necessary and critical element for any organization that wants to remain healthy, focused on their goals and to be successful. Lack of trust can be the source of high employee turnover rates, dissension and not reaching a required goal. It is interesting that we, as human beings, have had "trust issues" as far back as time takes us. However, a leader who is interested in achieving success, and building a highly effective work team will study and implement the components needed to establish trust in their working relationships.

Copyright M. A. Webb, 2005. All Rights Reserved

Source: http://LeadershipSecrets.blogspot.com

PUBLISHING AND REPRINT RIGHTS: You have permission to publish this article electronically, in print, in your ebook or on your website, free of charge, as long as the author's information and web link are included at the bottom of the article and the article is not changed, modified or altered in any way. The web link should be active when the article is reprinted on a web site or in an email. The author would appreciate an email indicating you wish to post this article to a website, and the link to where it is posted.

Trust: A Leader's Best Kept Secret

(Part One of a multi part series)

Trust is elusive. You definitely know when you have it and most definitely know when you do not. But, if you have ever tried to define it to others, or done research to find a "true" definition of trust, you probably found that there are as many definitions as there are great leaders or writers. In this short series we are going to examine one definition of trust and how leaders earn and receive trust from others.

Trust forms the foundation for effective communication, employee retention, employee motivation and contribution of their discretionary energy which is the "extra effort" that people voluntarily invest in their workplace. When there is trust within this relationship or organization, goals and objectives, and almost everything else, is easier to achieve.

Dr. Duane C. Tway, Jr. wrote, in his 1993 book, A Construct of Trust, saying:

"There exists today, no practical construct of Trust that allows us to design and implement organizational interventions to significantly increase trust levels between people. We all think we know what Trust is from our own experience, but we don't know much about how to improve it. Why? I believe it is because we have been taught to look at Trust as if it were a single entity."

He goes on further to define trust as:

"..the state of readiness for unguarded interaction with someone or something."

Tway developed a model of trust that includes three components. He calls the model a "construct" because it is "constructed" of these three components which include:

• "... the capacity for trusting,
• the perception of competence,
• and the perception of intentions."

If you think about trust using these three components it will make it much easier to understand its dynamic and use within the workforce. The capacity for trusting really means that the entire collection of your total life experiences will have developed your current capacity and willingness to risk trusting others.

The perception of competence is a compilation of your perception of your ability and the ability of others with whom you work to perform competently at whatever is needed in your current situation.

The perception of intentions, as defined by Tway, is comprised of your perception that the actions, words, direction, goals or decisions of yourself, and/or the organization, are motivated by mutually-serving rather than self-serving intentions.

In future postings we will explore why trust is critical to a healthy organization, the critical role that a supervisor or leader play in building trust and the specific steps that can be taken to accomplish this successfully.

Copyright M. A. Webb, 2005. All Rights Reserved

PUBLISHING AND REPRINT RIGHTS: You have permission to publish this article electronically, in print, in your ebook or on your website, free of charge, as long as the author's information and web link are included at the bottom of the article and the article is not changed, modified or altered in any way. The web link should be active when the article is reprinted on a web site or in an email. The author would appreciate an email indicating you wish to post this article to a website, and the link to where it is posted.

Recognize Opportunity

"You have to recognize when

the right place and the right time fuse

and take advantage of that opportunity.

There are plenty of opportunities out there.

You can't sit back and wait."

--Ellen Metcalf

Be the Person Others Choose to Follow

Good leaders are hard to find. Good leaders exhibit a blend of charisma, vision and character traits that attract people to follow them. And, leaders recognize the need to attract followers.

Developing a followership is a fundamental key to leadership. But, to follow, people must feel that they have confidence in the direction in which the leader is headed. The follower must be enabled and empowered to do their part in accomplishing the stated goals.

Also, people follow leaders that are accountable and trustworthy. If progress towards accomplishing the goals ceases, or is out of balance, the leader must take responsibility to analyze the problem. Followers will have confidence in their leader and that their efforts won't be punished if the leader is accountable and does not blame anyone for the problem.

Followers need to believe, that at the end of the project or journey, they will be recognized and rewarded for their contribution. The leader must help the followers answer the question, "What's in it for me?" Successful leaders are honest about the potential risks they are incurring in the chosen path to the goal. They will communicate, not just the overall direction, but any information followers need to successfully, skillfully and efficiently carry out their responsibilities.

Occasionally the leader and the owner of the business, CEO or president or department head are the same person. Leadership qualities combined with positional power magnify the individual's ability to attract followers. Longevity also plays a role in in attracting and retaining followers. People who have followed leaders for long periods of time will continue to follow unless they lose trust in the leader's direction and abilities.

By increasing your awareness of what attracts followers and how to retain them you can become the person that others will gladly choose to follow.

Copyright M. A. Webb, 2005. All Rights Reserved.

PUBLISHING AND REPRINT RIGHTS: You have permission to publish this article electronically, in print, in your ebook or on your website, free of charge, as long as the author's information and web link are included at the bottom of the article and the article is not changed, modified or altered in any way. The web link should be active when the article is reprinted on a web site or in an email. The author would appreciate an email indicating you wish to post this article to a website, and the link to where it is posted.

What Employees Want in a Leader

As a leader, there are four specific factors that must be present in your communications with those you lead in order for employees to be happy and motivated to work.

Respect is the fundamental right of everyone in the workplace. If employees feel that they are treated with respect they will usually respond reciprocally with respect and dignified actions. A leader can demonstrate their respect for their employees by giving them praise and credit where its due and timely feedback so that they know how they are doing at work.

Members of an "in-crowd." Everyone wants to be part of the "in-crowd." This means that they will know and have access to information as quickly as anyone else in the workplace. An effective leader knows how to foster this kind of a relationship with those they lead.

New skills and learning opportunities are something almost every employee wants to have access to in the workplace. They will want to develop their capabilities and grow in their knowledge of the workplace and their careers. Leaders should make these opportunities available to each employee. This will demonstrate your commitment to helping them develop their careers.

Employees expect leadership. They want a sense of being on the right track, of going somewhere that has been defined and what knowing what is important to the company and to them as employees. They like being part of something bigger than themselves. Employees need to know that someone who is trustworthy and "in the know" is in charge.

With these four factors in place leaders will be able to observe productivity, motivation and happiness amongst employees.

Copyright M. A. Webb, 2005. All Rights Reserved

PUBLISHING AND REPRINT RIGHTS: You have permission to publish this article electronically, in print, in your ebook or on your website, free of charge, as long as the author's information and web link are included at the bottom of the article and the article is not changed, modified or altered in any way. The web link should be active when the article is reprinted on a web site or in an email. The author would appreciate an email indicating you wish to post this article to a website, and the link to where it is posted.

People Really Don't Resist Change

Have you ever witnessed anyone in the workplace resisting change? At some point almost all of us have seen this happen. Resistance to change is often mistaken as being a problem on the part of the employee or the "resistor." However, let's look at another possibility: people resist change for fear of being incompentent, not because of the change itself. Hmm...

As a general rule people embrace change. Look at different styles in clothes, colors and clothing combinations. How many times do you, or your friends, eat in the same restaurant day after day? Do most people go to the same place for vacation or entertainment? As a general rule, not. Most people try different things on a daily basis. How could that possibly be interpreted as being categorically "change resistant?" What else would possibly make an individual resist change?

It really isn't change that people are concerned about. It's concern for not being prepared or being incompetent. Quite often leaders treat the wrong problem when they rant about about being "change friendly." What they should be addressing is the individual's need to understand, learn and be prepared for the change instead of a philosophical rant that does not help address their individual concerns. If you find that your employees have bad attitudes about their work, perhaps you want to spend some time studying what they are really saying.

The consequences of incompetence are usually quite visible and audible. For example, it is frustrating when we cannot do what we think we should be able to do. It is irritating to spend time learning new ways of working and it can be humiliating (personally and publicly) to fail. It is unrewarding to redo your work. Is it any wonder that people resist change when it is these situations that make them appear and feel incompetent?

What can a leader do to reduce the effects, and resistance, to change? Here are some suggestions on how to address the real problem so that your project does not get derailed by the cause.

Give a reason to adjust. Answer the question of "why" change is needed. Employees are far more likely to be supportive and embrace the change when a logical or business reason is given.

Provide the tools. Becoming competent is a learning process and it takes time, and sometimes practice. Build training and practice time into the change schedule. This does not have to be an extended period of time but you should provide some teaching, and on-the-job instruction. Give your employees a place to learn and they will.

Allow for time to adjust. If you want your project or change schedule to go as planned you must allow time for people to learn. People need time to adjust to doing new things.

Give recognition. Always give recognition and credit where it is due. Tell employees how much you appreciate their effort and contributions to the change. Recognize their efforts and celebrate the victories together.

Give feedback. During the change period it is critical that you give feedback. Share with employees the results in an effective and timely manner. Assure them, at the start of the change period, that you will give them accurate and timely feedback.

Sound simple enough? To avoid resistance to change give them a reason, the proper tools, time to adjust, recognition for effort which is followed by feedback. Maybe the whole reason people resist change is because leaders are not presenting it correctly. What we do know for certain is that change is inevitable and that managers must effect changes to the work environment. How successful you want to be at change is up to you.

Copyright M. A. Webb, 2005. All Rights Reserved

PUBLISHING AND REPRINT RIGHTS: You have permission to publish this article electronically, in print, in your ebook or on your website, free of charge, as long as the author's information and web link are included at the bottom of the article and the article is not changed, modified or altered in any way. The web link should be active when the article is reprinted on a web site or in an email. The author would appreciate an email indicating you wish to post this article to a website, and the link to where it is posted.

Give Credit Where Its Due

"... Priase loudly, blame softly."

- Catherine the Great

One of the singlemost important behaviors that will earn your respect and trust as a leader is this: always give your people the credit for your achievements and successes. NEVER take the credit for yourself.

However, you must always take the blame and accept the responsibility for any shortcomings or mistakes that you or your people make. NEVER, NEVER, NEVER publicly blame another person for a failing. If a person under your leadership has made a mistake, that failing is your responsibility. True leaders never hide behind the people they lead.

Take time to listen and to really understand those that you lead or communicate with. Understand every nuance or aspect of the job that all do. Ask and learn about what people do and think, and how they think that improvements can be made. Incorporate those improvements wherever possible.

Copyright M. A. Webb, 2005. All Rights Reserved.

PUBLISHING AND REPRINT RIGHTS: You have permission to publish this article electronically, in print, in your ebook or on your website, free of charge, as long as the author's information and web link are included at the bottom of the article and the article is not changed, modified or altered in any way. The web link should be active when the article is reprinted on a web site or in an email. The author would appreciate an email indicating you wish to post this article to a website, and the link to where it is posted.

When a Leader Becomes a Space Invader

Leaders often come into close proximity with other people. Our cultural norms dictate what a comfortable distance is when interacting with another person. So, how do you know when you are invading another's personal space? Leaders should know what signs to look for that another person is uncomfortable and then take immediate steps to alleviate this discomfort.

Signals that you may have invaded an individuals personal space are:

• Rocking
• Leg swinging
• Tapping
• Gaze aversion

In large groups invading personal space is typically not a problem, in fact there is usually too much distance between you and others. To counteract this you would simply need to move about the room or closer to the individual you wish to communicate with. However, remember that increasing proximity also enables you to make better eye contact with the entire group and increases the opportunities for others to speak besides one single individual.

As a leader you need to be aware of the differences personal space and presence may have on your interactions with others. Be considerate of the other person when you are communicating one-on-one and observant of any of the signals that you may be too close in proximity. By respecting another's personal space you will show respect for that individual and will likely see that person respond in a more positive manner to your needs or request.

Copyright M. A. Webb, 2005. All Rights Reserved

PUBLISHING AND REPRINT RIGHTS: You have permission to publish this article electronically, in print, in your ebook or on your website, free of charge, as long as the author's information and web link are included at the bottom of the article and the article is not changed, modified or altered in any way. The web link should be active when the article is reprinted on a web site or in an email. The author would appreciate an email indicating you wish to post this article to a website, and the link to where it is posted.

Leaders as Change Managers

"If you want to truly understand something; try to change it."

- Kurt Lewin

Leaders do things other people have not done, or do not do at all. They do things in advance of someone else. They make new things, they are innovators. Having learned from what has been done in the past, either by themselves or others, the leader lives with one eye on the present and the other looking into the future. They take all this information and put it together in a different way. Successful leaders are both right- and left-brain thinkers. They must also be intuitive, artistic, and conceptual. Leaders must quickly synthesize information in order to move through the chaos and maintain a sense of order and balance with those that they lead. Leaders are the ultimate "change managers."

Copyright M. A. Webb, 2005. All Rights Reserved.

PUBLISHING AND REPRINT RIGHTS: You have permission to publish this article electronically, in print, in your ebook or on your website, free of charge, as long as the author's information and web link are included at the bottom of the article and the article is not changed, modified or altered in any way. The web link should be active when the article is reprinted on a web site or in an email. The author would appreciate an email indicating you wish to post this article to a website, and the link to where it is posted.