Excellence to Eminence

Five things about trust everyone should know

Values: Openness and Trust

In his book Soup: a recipe to nourish your team and culture, Jon Gordon offered these five things about trust everyone should know:

• People follow the leader first and the leader's vision second. You can be the most optimistic person in the world and have the most inspiring vision, yet if the leader is not someone people will follow, the vision will never be realized.
• Trust is the force that connects people to the leader and his or her vision. Without trust, there is a huge gap between the leader and the vision. 
• If your team trusts you and your optimism causes them to believe in you, then your vision will inspire them to follow you. When leaders gain the trust of their team, then their beliefs, optimism and vision are much more persuasive, and people will follow you.
• Trust generates commitment; commitment fosters teamwork; and teamwork delivers results. When people trust the leader and their team members, they not only work harder, but they work harder for the good of the team.
• Trust is built one day at a time, and yet it can be lost in a moment. The one thing in life you don't want to throw away is the trust people have in you (Gordon, p. 65).

These points underscore the importance of trust to achieving success. Trust is what causes people to unite behind a common purpose. Building that united force through increasing trust is critical to success.

But as the final point says, trust can be lost in an instant. It’s important to keep building that trust. Here are some tips to help build and maintain trust:

• Practice your coaching skills. Coaching is critical to strengthening results and reaching our goals. When coaching is offered and received in a respectful, candid way, people are more likely to listen to and offer coaching in the future.
• Seek opportunities to share information. While people may have every intention to keep each other up to date, the business of the day can get in the way. Making it a point to share and seek out information ensures it happens.
• Improve your listening skills. Listening for understanding helps people feel respected and appreciated, leading to stronger relationships.

How do you build trust with others? How has trust helped you achieve stronger results? Share by leaving a comment.

Gordon, J (2010).  Soup: a recipe to nourish your team and culture. Hoboken NJ: John Wiley & Sons, Inc. Used with permission of the OSU Leadership Center.

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