| Trust is the foundation of all successful | | | | It's not uncommon for people to use the word |
| interpersonal relationships, both personal and | | | | "trust" to describe a feeling they have regarding |
| business. Trust is the confidence or belief a | | | | some interpersonal relationships. Trust does not |
| person feels toward a particular person or group. | | | | magically appear in a relationship without certain |
| Trust is, therefore, one of the primary binding | | | | elements preceding it over time. And once trust |
| forces in any interpersonal relationship. It permits | | | | has been breeched it is difficult and sometimes |
| people to overcome doubts and unknowns and | | | | impossible to establish once again. |
| enjoy peace of mind. The absence of trust | | | | Three steps pave the path before enduring trust |
| causes confusion, worry, inaction, and fear. When | | | | begins. The first step is effective communications. |
| interpersonal trust is present, a person feels a | | | | When we communicate effectively with another |
| confidence that everything will somehow work | | | | person we have an opportunity to move that |
| out. In the workplace, trust is a prerequisite for | | | | relationship to the second step, which is real |
| effective interpersonal communications. Without | | | | understanding. That is when two people have |
| trust, employees may feel uncertainty, worry, | | | | communicated to the point of honest and deep |
| and a sense of insecurity. No relationship, personal | | | | understanding. This can lead to the third step in |
| or business, can exist for even a short period of | | | | the relationship of mutual respect. A respecting |
| time if some element of trust is not present. | | | | relationship demands that each person contribute |
| Trust is an essential leadership training ingredient | | | | enough respect that it can be reciprocated back |
| that binds any human relationship into an | | | | from the other person. Unilateral respect in |
| effective, working partnership. | | | | relationships is temporary and superficial. Mutual |
| Even though trust is fundamental to human | | | | respect that can lead to trust is much deeper and |
| relationships, it is actually misunderstood by many | | | | must come from communicated understanding. |
| people. People use trust, or the lack of it, to | | | | Once a relationship has experienced mutual |
| explain good and bad relationships with others. | | | | respect it is possible for the participants to |
| Consider the cliché phrases: "Don't worry, | | | | experience enduring relational trust. This is a |
| you can trust me" and "Just trust me." Trust has | | | | feeling that binds people together over time and |
| become both a buzzword and an excuse in our | | | | through trials. |
| society. Trust is as much abused as it is used in | | | | The four steps are dependent upon the actions |
| today's business world. It is used to define and | | | | or integrity of the individuals involved. Integrity is |
| explain; yet few leadership training programs have | | | | not only keeping agreements, but it is also |
| seriously considered what it is and what it is not. | | | | "walking the talk." If, for example, a person |
| Psychologists are just beginning to learn how trust | | | | communicates deceitfully, how much |
| really works. Research suggests that trusting | | | | understanding will there be? And how much |
| relationships are predictable, caring, and faithful. | | | | respect will the other person have? Ultimately |
| When a manager's behavior is consistent over a | | | | trust will be lacking. |
| period of time and another person can reasonably | | | | Enduring trust is a leadership training process that |
| predict that behavior, trust is possible. By | | | | takes time and effort. It is clearly the essence of |
| contrast, it is difficult to trust a person whose | | | | what fuels meaningful relationships. |
| actions are inconsistent or unpredictable. | | | | Test your Trust |
| Caring in a relationship involves actions that | | | | Answer the following five statements on a scale |
| express consideration toward the other person. | | | | of 1 to 5, where 1 is not true and 5 is completely |
| Through effective leadership training, a caring | | | | true. |
| supervisor knows when final exams are scheduled | | | | |
| at the local college and asks employees who will | | | | 1. My actions each day demonstrate that I trust |
| be taking the tests how much time off will be | | | | my employees. |
| needed to study. A caring supervisor finds out | | | | 2. My employees can trust me with sensitive or |
| about a birth, death, anniversary, graduation, or | | | | private information. |
| sickness and sends a card to the employee's | | | | 3. I would never betray a trust with an employee. |
| home. | | | | 4. I keep confidences and would never share |
| Faith is the belief that an employee's behavior will | | | | confidential information inappropriately. |
| be in direct response to the trust placed in that | | | | 5. I am able to trust my employees. |
| relationship. Faith can be demonstrated by | | | | Tally your scores from the five items. A total |
| communicating clear expectations and then telling | | | | score of 20 to 25 would indicate that you and |
| the employee, "I know you and I believe you can | | | | your employees probably share an atmosphere of |
| accomplish this assignment." Managers who have | | | | trust. A score of 15-19 would indicate that trust is |
| difficulty demonstrating faith in others typically | | | | present, but not in abundance. A score of 14 or |
| have difficulty trusting them as well. Trust as a | | | | less probably means that some additional |
| leadership training component can help change this. | | | | leadership training efforts in building trust would be |
| Building trust in the workplace is vital for a | | | | appropriate. |
| long-lasting, satisfying, rewarding, and successful | | | | To learn how leadership training programs and |
| relationship. Leadership training helps effective | | | | building trust in the workplace can help your |
| managers practice behaviors that promote and | | | | organization, contact a CMOE representative at |
| build trusting relationships. They learn to do this | | | | (801)569-3444 |
| with consistent actions each day. In return they | | | | Dr. Richard L. Williams has conducted more than |
| obtain the benefits of high-trust employee | | | | 6,000 workshops to more than 250,000 |
| relations. These benefits include higher morale, | | | | managers and executives. |
| increased initiative, improved honesty, and better | | | | He specializes in building trust in the workplace, |
| productivity. All are important aspects of a | | | | leadership training and development, performance |
| profitable and rewarding business experience. | | | | coaching, and quality improvement. |