Are you a High Trust Leader

Are YOU a High Trust Leader?

I have been truly lucky to have had many remarkable bosses and leaders. People who embodied trust and extended it to all. These leaders…

• Saw things in me that I didn’t see in myself.
• Believed in my abilities and encouraged me to stretch.
• Gave me plenty of freedom and support so that I could learn and grow.
• Shared information freely and opted for transparency
• Regularly displayed courage, kindness, and humanity
• Were never “above it all,” but who were committed to learning and growing themselves

And I have also had a few bosses who were much lower on the trust scale. These leaders…

• Preferred telling over asking or collaborating
• Made rules for all based on the bad behavior of a few
• Withheld information or shared selectively
• Failed to listen to those with less “positional power”
• Failed to confront difficult realities, and therefore never really solved problems
• Had all the answers (and plenty of blame) to pass around

Hands down, I like the high-trust leaders better!

Though I may not have been able to name it at the time, those high-trust leaders were creating workplaces where employees felt seen, heard, understood, and honored. As a whole, we grew, we committed, and we gave our all.

The feeling is compelling.

When you know that someone believes in you, you work harder for them. You want to please. You want to make them proud.

This is why I say that trust can be a virtuous cycle.

When you show up as trustworthy, people put their trust in you, and you rise to the challenge.

And, when you demonstrate trust in others, you earn the heart and mind of the other in return.

Here’s a tip: When you enter a workplace and you see learning, growth, commitment, collaboration, and (yes) even joy, THAT is a workplace built on trust.

And if you are a leader, and you DON’T see the things above, pause and look at your own leader behaviors. Are you…

• Holding back? (Being less open than you might or sharing less information…)
• Blaming others instead of taking responsibility?
• Punishing instead of providing clarity and support?
• Failing to address the hard stuff?

If you want to be a leader- in your workplace, family, or community – then pause and assess. 

And then choose to be more trusting and trustworthy, and begin the virtuous cycle of trust.

If you'd like to learn how to be a more effective leader, request a FREE consultation through my website: www.ClaireLaughlinOnline.com 

About the Author: Claire Laughlin is a highly regarded training expert who has dedicated her career to studying and improving patterns of communication in organizations. Claire works across various industries, coaching individuals and creating large-scale, global-reaching training programs designed to uplift and support excellence across functions and cultural divides. Claire shares her expertise by offering training solutions for all levels of professional development.

Photo by Christina @ wocintechchat.com on Unsplash (https://unsplash.com/photos/FPQlXQtjkqU)