Firepower: Trust
Firepower: Trust
Phil Connor
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I used to start each day reading the news, but I don’t engage in this practice any longer. I found it can be depressing reading the news online or watching it on TV these days. Much of the content displays an eroding trust in our communities of government leaders and neighbors often pitted against neighbors. Some may perceive an ever-widening divide in our country when they read or watch the news. Personally, I feel that this has grown in recent years—fueled by social media algorithms—but I also believe there is a lack of dialogue between people standing face-to-face with each other. If you also feel despair at times, there are actions we can take to build trust in our families, communities, and our country. Recently, I read a column that reminded me of this. In January 2022, Nathaniel Swigger wrote a column for Ohio State University’s Lead Read Today that discussed the importance of trust in society. Let’s pause a moment and reflect on how transparency, dialogue, and investment can grow trust around us and in us.
Transparency
When we understand what the people leading us are doing, it increases our trust in them. Conversely, when leaders operate behind closed doors and fail to communicate with us, it results in decreased trust in their leadership ability. When the members of a team—whether that team is a family, a work group, or a community-oriented organization—are engaged in decision-making, it can actually fortify the legitimacy of their leaders. It may seem counterintuitive, but leaders that listen to their people and allow them to participate in brainstorming and decision-making also enable trust to grow that they will do the right thing for their people. A father who wants his children to obey his “house rules” will be trusted more when he includes the whole family in discussing the rules and guidelines. The team realizes that, at some point, the leader needs to make unpopular decisions or have the last say, but just being a part of the process endears dad to his kids. This may resonate with you if you had a father like mine, who led by saying the famous words: “Because I said so.” This style of leadership can be off-putting and may likely cause distrust to grow. The same is true in work or community groups. Leaders who listen fortify their positions of authority and see trust in their leadership grow.
Leaders who listen — fortify their positions of authority and see trust in their leadership grow.
Dialogue
Swigger points out that, according to research, trust is when individuals feel they can rely on others to act by established rules and norms. By listening to the needs of their teams, taking notes during conversation, and being responsive to those needs, leaders build trust. If you have a team of employees, consider having regular team meetings where your participation as a speaker is minimal and you encourage active discussion among your team. When your team sees you taking notes and validating their thoughts and concerns, they will respect your authority more. The leaders I have struggled with during my career have been those who have not communicated well with me or made me feel as though my voice didn’t matter. Team feedback doesn’t need to take up an entire meeting—perhaps it’s just ten minutes of the agenda—but when it’s happening, make sure you’re fully focused on what others are saying. Since we will be focused on our team’s during this period, we should assign someone other than the leader to be the timer to make sure we don’t lose control of the valuable time assigned for the meeting’s other important topics.
Mr. Swigger also cited in his article that research clearly indicates that engagement increases the perceived legitimacy of leadership decisions. In my experience, my largest leadership failures came when I operated from a perspective of efficiency rather than taking the time to include the team in developing the strategy. When teams contribute and feel heard, it leads to better decision-making and increases trust in the process across the entire group. When we as leaders understand what our teams need, we can help meet those needs and be more responsive. Today’s lack of trust in the political process stems from the feeling that the politicians are not responding to the people’s perceived needs and problems sufficiently. The same distrust can grow in families or work teams when leaders do not stay connected to the groups they are supposed to serve.
In my experience, my largest leadership failures came when I operated from a perspective of efficiency rather than taking the time to include the team in developing the strategy.
Investment
There are many ways leaders can connect with their teams. According to Swigger, a critical element is leaders investing in their teams. This investment can take many forms. For children, it often is best spent as time with them, connecting and modeling behavior. With our employees, it may be providing additional training time or skill building. For me, setting time aside for one-on-one discussions with my team members has always paid dividends in strengthening our relationships. In the community, it may be litter pick-ups or grooming parks that everyone can enjoy. If we’re truly present with our teams, we can understand where they need help or support. When leaders make these investments, they increase each team member’s sense of value in themselves and in the larger group. Political trust may increase when citizens feel empowered, but employees also become more trusting when an employer recognizes their contributions.
This week, we should all take a moment and reflect on how transparent we are with those around us. We can ask ourselves if we are dialoguing enough to truly understand what our employees or family members are experiencing. Young people across the country are feeling more and more anxiety. Is it because they’re not being heard? Investing the time, connection, and resources in our people demonstrates that we value them and cherish their contributions. This month, let’s all focus on increasing our trustworthiness, then watch the impact we can make grow. Have a prosperous month!
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Phil Connor
Phil is always working with his team at Ignition Labratory to find new ways to spread the fire. If you found Phil's column impactful, or if you'd like to have him speak at an upcoming event, contact him at phil.connor@live.com.
