In order for a company to be successful, it needs to have a culture that employees can trust. Leaders play a key role in building this trust, and they must be able to secure employee loyalty in the face of difficult times. In today’s uncertain world, trust in leadership is more important than ever before. Here are some ways that you can build trust in your leadership and create a more successful company.
The first way to build trust is by being transparent.
Employees need to know what is happening in the company. Every company needs to have a clear way to share goals, values, desired end result and connect each individual team members contributions to a clear and concise scoreboard. This score board will aid everyone to know at a glance where the company is, where the team member is, and the effect they are having on the end result.
How can you show this type of scoreboard to the team?
There are a few ways. One is to create an intranet site that everyone can access and see the company’s goals, values, and end result. Another way is to have regular team meetings where this information is shared. And finally, you can post this information in a visible place in the office so that everyone can see it.
Trust in leadership is built by being consistent.
This means that you as a leader need to be clear about your expectations and deliver on your promises. When you are consistent, employees know what to expect from you and they can trust that you will do what you say you will do. The phrase, “I knew that was what you would say”, is a phrase we should all strive to hear from our team members.
Ways to make sure that you are clear and consistent with your employees include setting clear goals and expectations at the beginning of a project, providing regular updates on progress, and following through on your promises.
Apps to use to help you be clear and consistent:
- Trello: Trello is a project management tool that helps you to set and track goals, assign tasks, and provide updates to your team.
- Slack: Slack is a communication tool that can be used to send clear messages and updates to your team.
- Google Drive: Google Drive is a storage tool that can be used to share documents and files with your team.
Some recommended books to read on being clear and concise with your team:
- The One Thing by Gary Keller
- The Clear and Concise Guide to Leadership Communication by Kevin Daley
- Made to Stick by Chip and Dan Heath
Build trust by being available.
Employees need to know that you are available to them when they need you. This means being accessible and responsive to their questions and concerns. This does not mean sacrificing your family or your sanity through. Build healthy practices, systems, and procedures into you being available.
Some ways that you can be available:
- Have regular office hours. Even if you are leading remote teams, making known and staying consistent as to when you will make yourself available to take calls, video calls, answer emails etc.. will go a long way.
- Make sure you return all calls and respond to all emails within 24 hours or sooner. This may take the form of contacting them to schedule another time to talk or replying to the email and offering to connect them with someone who can help quicker or offering to schedule an appointment.
- Make yourself available by holding regular team meetings, sending out regular updates, and being responsive to questions and concerns.
Best practices in holding regular team meetings:
- Have a regular day and time for the meeting
- Use an agenda to keep the meeting on track
- Take minutes during the meeting and distribute them afterwards
- Follow up after the meeting to ensure that tasks are completed
Best practices with remote team meetings:
- Utilize a project management tool like Trello to keep track of what needs to be discussed during the meeting
- Create a dedicated Slack channel for the meeting so that everyone can easily follow the conversation
- Schedule the meeting in advance and send out reminders to ensure that everyone is prepared
- Keep the meeting focused by having a clear agenda and sticking to it
- Record the meeting so that everyone can review it afterwards
Trust is built by showing appreciation.
Team members need to know that you appreciate their hard work and dedication. Showing appreciation can be done in many ways, such as giving verbal praise, writing thank-you notes, or giving gifts.
How to know what kind of gift to give to each team member:
- First, consider what the person is interested in. If they love coffee, a gift card to their favorite coffee shop would be appreciated. If they are into fitness, a new water bottle or workout gear would be a good choice.
- Second, think about what the person needs. If they just had a baby, a gift card to a grocery store or a restaurant would be helpful.
- Third, consider what the person has been wanting. If they have been talking about wanting a new book, get them that book. If they have been eyeing a new piece of jewelry, get it for them.
Some thoughtful and unique gifts that you can give to your team:
- A gift card to their favorite restaurant or store
- A basket of their favorite snacks
- A subscription to their favorite magazine or online service
- A voucher for a day of pampering, such as a massage or mani/pedi
- A new piece of jewelry or clothing that they have been wanting
- Tickets to a concert, play, or other event that they would enjoy
So what?
By following these four strategies, you can build trust with your employees and create a strong foundation for your team. What other ways do you build trust with your employees? Share in the comments below.
Some other goodies for you to read:
5 Easy but often forgotten ways to be a better leader
Form empowering habits e-book by Todd McKeever
Now what?
If you want help in setting up a course for you specifically in building this leadership trust, make an appointment to schedule your free call to see if we can help you build this system for yourself.