Respect is the Foundation for Trust

#33, December 9, 2008

Last week I focused on the importance of satisfying the need for respect-a need everyone has that is often neglected. I think the main reason leaders hold back on giving respect is that there is such a strong emphasis in the business world on performance.

Sometimes, there is a fear that if we treat people with respect, they will think their performance is good enough and will slack off. That is why the leadership skill I have identified at the base of the Passion Pyramid is to build trust-we need more than respect.

There are four ingredients that must be present for trust to develop. We call them the Elements of Trust™. They are:

  • Congruence - being straightforward, honest, and ethical.
  • Openness - being willing to listen to others' ideas and feedback, and to disclose your own thoughts, feelings, and opinions.
  • Acceptance - respecting and valuing people for who they are; giving them the recognition they deserve.
  • Reliability - keeping commitments, meeting deadlines, and doing your best in everything you do.
When any one of these elements is missing, trust is diminished. When trust is diminished, so too is engagement, commitment, and passion.

As a leader, you are continually under the microscope. Your team members are aware of everything you say or do. Is that fair? Maybe not! But it's the truth, so we might as well get used to it. As leaders we are always building trust, or we are diminishing it-there is no middle ground.

These are the key things I remind myself of to ensure I am continuing to build trust with my team:

  1. Take time out to think about each team member and what you respect and admire about them. Okay, their performance may not be where you want it, but they will be more motivated to improve when they know you do respect them and value their talents.
  2. Think about the quality of your conversations with team members. In every conversation you can be respectful or disrespectful; you can be open, or closed; you can be straightforward and honest, or beat around the bush.
  3. Think back on the quality of your conversations at the end of each day. Did each conversation enhance your trust with each person, or do you now have some repair work to do?
  4. Make a note of the things you have committed to do, and follow through on them.
There is no question that building trust takes conscious effort, but the pay-off is huge in terms of increased commitment, passion, and performance. When team members trust you, they want to improve their performance and contribution to the team. And that is the topic for next week... capitalizing on the instinctive need to learn and grow.

How passionate are you about your work and your organization? Click here to take the two-minute Passion Index™ survey and find out! Keep reading our Weekly Leadership Tips for ways you can create a work environment where all team members are engaged, committed to your organization, and passionate about doing a great job every time.

Learn how to light a fire within your employees, not under them! Click here to purchase a copy of Keith's book, Engagement Is Not Enough - You Need Passionate Employees to Achieve Your Dream.

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© 2007 Keith Ayers. All rights reserved.

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