It is often said that trust is earned, not imposed. On a personal level, it is something many individuals hope to get from their loved ones, family, friends, and colleagues. But on a business level, it is what every business leader strives to achieve because the lack of trust in a company can cause many negative repercussions. For example, it can lead to employee demotivation, unresolved conflicts, and a decrease in productivity. This is why you must do whatever you can to build trust and confidence among your employees.
In this article, we will share five valuable tips to build trust as a leader:
1) Understand What Trust Is
The first step is to deeply understand what trust is. Trust refers to a firm belief in someone's reliability, truth, ability, or strength. Yet, there's more to it than what you might expect. However, many people tend to deem trust as accountability, meaning you first observe how people do their work and see the results before giving your utmost trust. Keep in mind that it isn't an outcome or a judgment—it's the other way around! Give your trust to your employees wholeheartedly with guidance and motivation, and you'll be amazed at how they will go above and beyond to deliver quality results!
2) Put Real Context in Trust
So, how do you give trust to your employees as a leader? The answer to this is to put real context to any given situation. In the business world, it's about knowing your position as a leader and what you expect from your people to accomplish as well as the circumstances therein. When one of your employees fails to accomplish a task or deliver on time, you don't consider it a violation of trust but more of a development opportunity. When you create a powerful context of trust, you can steer your employees in the right direction instead of pushing them away.
3) Be a Good Example
Creating a culture of trust in your business or organization is no easy feat, and it usually starts with you––the leader. How do you expect people to trust you if you don't act accordingly? And how can you give your trust to your subordinates if you cannot even be trusted? If you want to create a culture of confidence in your business, start by being the best leader and setting good examples, and your workforce will follow in your footsteps!
4) Help Subordinates Identify and Address Opportunities
When it comes to trust, most leaders give it based on these two key aspects: strengths and weaknesses. If your employees aren't good enough, don't meet the targets, or commit errors, it's easy to lose your trust in them. However, keep in mind that it is your responsibility to help your subordinates identify and address their areas of opportunities. By not losing faith in them quickly and easily, you'll be surprised at how your employees will improve and trust you in the long run.
5) Acknowledge and Celebrate Their Success
A great way to show and earn trust is to acknowledge and celebrate each success in your business. If your company ends the year with skyrocketing sales, you can throw out a party to show your employees some gratitude. But this step can even be done with something as simple as rewarding your achievers or giving them a pat on the back if they do good. All these can create a culture of trust in your organization that will benefit the business in the long run!
Conclusion
At this point, you now realize that earning trust is easier said than done. With the tips given above, you already have an idea of how to build trust as a leader. All it takes is to understand what trust is, put it in a real context, be a good example, help subordinates address their opportunities, and celebrate their success. With all these in mind, you'll make a good leader and win your subordinates' trust over time!
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