Authors Jack Zenger and Joseph Folkman recently published an article in HBR which asserts that trust is a leading indicator of whether others evaluate leaders positively or negatively (Read it here).
Using data from the 360 assessments of 87,000 leaders they have distilled the three key elements of trust, and how they are displayed. The level of trust is highly correlated with how people rate a leader’s overall leadership effectiveness. And while the entire article is worth the read, but in summary, here they are:
- Positive Relationships – creating positive relationships with other people and groups is vital, and includes being able to:
- Stay in touch on the issues and concerns of others.
- Balance results with concern for others.
- Generate cooperation between others.
- Resolve conflict with others.
- Give honest feedback in a helpful way.
- Good Judgement/Expertise – that is, the leader is well-informed and knowledgeable. This means:
- They use good judgement when making decisions.
- Others trust their ideas and opinions.
- Others seek after their opinions.
- Their knowledge and expertise make an important contribution to achieving results.
- Can anticipate and respond quickly to problems.
- Consistency – where leaders walk their talk and do what they say they will do. That means they:
- Are a role model and set a good example.
- Walk the talk.
- Honor commitments and keep promises.
- Follow through on commitments.
- Are willing to go above and beyond what needs to be done.
So leaders should never underestimate the impact of building and maintaining the trust of their teams. How do you think you would rate on these three elements?
And remember, if you need help with your leadership or management needs, Avondale Business School is here to help, simply call or ring on 02 4980 2168 or [email protected]