by David Horsager, author of “Trusted Leader: 8 Pillars That Drive Results“
The loss of trust is often associated with a betrayal or a failure to meet a commitment. But the reality is much more complex. Trust increases or decreases with every interaction. In business especially, doing not saying builds trust because people trust those who contribute results. The relationship between contribution and trust is self-reinforcing: consistently delivering results increases trust and working in an environment with high levels of trust motivates and increases contribution.
Building a results-oriented culture requires a very specific mindset: “I can only control what I contribute, not what others contribute.” This frame of thinking starts with each person taking ownership for his or her own results.
When leadership sets the culture standard and prioritizes what it can contribute to its team, trust will go up, and everyone on the team will be incentivized to think this way as well. Organizations will also benefit when leadership shares the results happening throughout the organization because people want to see that their actions are having a positive impact.
The more consistently you deliver powerful results, the more trust your clients, customers, and coworkers will have in you.
Six positive habits can help power a results-oriented organization. Think of them as the “6 E’s of Contribution”:
1. Expectation.
People generally step up to the level of performance that’s expected of them. Expect great things and you might get them; expect less than great things and you’re certain to get them.
2. Example.
Actions speak louder than words. People do what they see. Be the first to show up and the last to leave. The leader needs to be the first to make this mind-set shift from “What can I get out of my team?” to “What can I offer my team?”
3. Education.
Invest the time and resources to teach people what they need to know to do their job well. Provide the training they need in order to predictably and consistently deliver results. Learning motivates and gives people the tools to make their own contributions even more effective.
4. Encouragement.
Nobody can get too much encouragement. Appreciation given sincerely and repeatedly is worth its weight in gold. While Millennials get the most widespread criticism for this, the truth is that everyone, no matter at what age, craves appreciation and positive reinforcement. If people don’t know what they are doing well, they won’t know how to contribute most effectively.
5. Empowerment.
Clearly bestow trust on individuals. By publicly empowering them as the lead on a task or project, your people know who to look to. Nothing supports results like instilling ownership of the task in those responsible for getting it done.
6. Extending trust to others.
Failing to learn how to delegate effectively is the downfall of many an aspiring leader. The only way to develop trust is by giving others opportunities to prove that they’re trustworthy. Extending trust to others can be powerful driver of a results-oriented culture.
David Horsager, MA, CSP, CPAE, is the CEO of Trust Edge Leadership Institute, Trust Expert in Residence at High Point University, and Wall Street Journal bestselling author of The Trust Edge. David has advised leaders and delivered life-changing presentations on six continents, with audiences ranging from FedEx, Toyota, MIT and global governments to the New York Yankees and the Department of Homeland Security. His new book is “Trusted Leader: 8 Pillars That Drive Results“.
