students , I quickly learned their apathy and behavioral challenges were rooted in the belief that they could not trust the adults requesting or demanding compliance . These students noticed the slightest inconsistencies ; they focused on how the adults treated other students more than what specifically happened to them . They believed teachers placed unrealistic expectations on them by asking them to work hard only to be told repeatedly , based on grades , that they still did not meet the required standard .
Most importantly , the focus was not on growth but on complete compliance . I realized these students were not simply refusing to comply with school rules but attempting to expose the adults as untrustworthy and fake . It wasn ’ t the school rules they wanted to defy but the adults trying to enforce them . While learning with teenagers and adults , I discovered some straightforward ways we can both build and lose trust . We all want our employees to be committed , work hard , be problem solvers , communicate better , and , most importantly , stick around . However , trust must be at the foundation of it all to create an environment that provides emotional safety and encourages growth . Let ’ s consider how we can build trust with our employees through truthfulness , reliability , understanding , sincerity , and time .
Let ’ s begin by discussing the importance of being truthful . I can imagine your thinking : I don ’ t lie to people who work for me . At least , I hope that is what you are thinking ; if not , we may need to start over at the top . The perception of your truthfulness is shaped by much more than what you say . Remember the difficult teenagers we discussed earlier ; many of your employees are just like them , and they are watching everything you do . They perceive your truthfulness based on what you do to others more than your interactions with them . Consider having an employee blatantly breaking a specific rule or procedure . Everyone knows this person is breaking said rule . You send a memo to the entire company reminding everyone of the rule rather than directly addressing that person . Two problems occur in this situation . First , your big speech on accountability that you probably gave at the last staff meeting goes right out the door ( you look like a liar ). Secondly , everyone following the rule now feels unappreciated and frustrated that rules only apply to some people and not everyone . For another example , imagine yourself in a staff meeting . In frustration , you give a blanket proclamation that by a specific deadline , everyone will be in compliance , or they can look for employment elsewhere . The entire room understands your frustration ; however , inevitably , one person will not meet the standard , and it will be someone you can ’ t simply fire . Now , that person is walking around your organization with everyone waiting and watching for your reaction . Most people know the HR nightmare of firing employees , so you let it slide and live to fight another day . However , your employees may perceive that decision as you being dishonest . They will feel that your words can ’ t be trusted or that you are only sometimes truthful in your interactions . And while they may not say it publicly , a small amount of trust has been lost . Let this happen repeatedly , and you will discover a staff culture where trust has been eroded .
Building trust can seem difficult for leaders who have to make tough decisions because if they do , they fear alienating one or both sides . However , this is only partially true . Employees want leaders who are bold but also truthful . What does that look like ? Most importantly , if you say you will do something , make sure you do it . If you can ’ t fulfill the promise , own it and publicly tell them why , even if you aren ’ t questioned . By proactively sharing our mistakes or shortcomings , we build trust . On the other hand , if you wait for someone to point out your mistake , your response may appear defensive . It ’ s okay to make mistakes , and owning up to them can encourage a culture of growth , which , in turn , can foster emotional security , creativity , problem-solving , and efficient teamwork . The most important thing is to learn how to apologize sincerely and appropriately , as honesty is more valuable than perfection . When honesty is valued over perfection , then truthfulness sets the foundation for trust . Learning to be more truthful even in small interactions becomes more manageable when we focus on reliability . These two qualities are closely related ; one cannot exist without another . As we discussed earlier about truthfulness , reliability comes into play when considering the consistency of our actions , not just singular events . Truthfulness requires us to own our mistakes and apologize when necessary . Reliability requires learning from those mistakes and working to prevent them from happening again . Reliability is closely linked to competence .
Employees want leaders who carefully consider all possible outcomes before making decisions . The most evident way reliability , and by extension trust , is broken is through inconsistency . For example , suppose you implement a new evaluation process for your employees . Your team creates the new process , and you decide to implement it . A week later , you got so much negative feedback that you reduced the expectations and omitted one whole section of the evaluation to appease those questioning the reason behind the changes . Six weeks later , only half of the supervisors use the evaluation tool , so you scrap the whole thing and start over . The evaluation tool was immediately withdrawn due to negative reactions , overshadowing its original purpose . More importantly , the purpose or “ the why ” was not clearly
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