Leave Big Footprints in the Workforce by Mastering These Small Steps

What do Augustus Caesar, George Washington, Gandhi, and Jack Welch have in common? All of these great leaders mastered the small steps of building trust among their superiors, peers, and followers. Trust is what drove their greatness, and created a culture of trust and prosperity in their wake. Work Effects has assessed truly successful organizations and found their leaders cultivate three primary principles for breeding trust.

Relationship with Self

Building trust begins with the relationship with self. Trust is fostered in relationships developed and influenced by our relationship with ourselves. This relationship reflects internal traits based on aligned emotions, sustained determination, intellectual flexibility, and character. If the relationship with self is weak and underdeveloped, building trusting relationships with others will be very difficult.

Consistent Actions and Behaviors

Trust will mature both in depth and capacity through consistent actions and behaviors. By being consistent, you demonstrate specific beliefs, values, and knowledge over time. As human beings, our collective norms and values will cascade down through our communities and permeate our workforce. Naturally, trust increases, as does the overall impact of the relationship with we say what we mean and do what we say.

Open and Honest Communication

Trust is cultivated through open and honest communication. We instinctively trust people more the better we know them. By taking the initial risk and allowing yourself to be vulnerable, you take the first step towards sustained trust. We trust those most like us in background, beliefs, and values; when this information is not willingly provided, suspicion and mistrust transpire in society and organizations.

Work Effects is committed to building trusted leaders and purposeful cultures to help organizations achieve lasting results and competitive advantage. See this article and more at https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/small-steps-build-trust-michael-stewart/