People used to think that those in leadership had their best interest at heart.
People are far from skeptical about leadership today. Most people are full-blown distrustful. This is a massive problem for us because we are leaders.
The number one biggest challenge you will face today is that people will not give you the benefit of the doubt.
Edelman’s Trust Barometer: More than half of the population won’t trust someone or something until they get evidence.
Distrust is now society’s default emotion.
The future of leadership is trust.
Everyone wins when the leader gets better.
How can we bridge the gap? How can we close the distance where people will buy into the vision?
Creating trust today will take more intentionality on your part as leader.
Transparency + Empathy + Consistency = Trust
Transparency – A Truth to Share
I was taught to guard the “pastor’s mystique.”
To create trust, you have a truth to transparently share. Both professionally and even personally.
I tend to be least transparent when things are not going well. I don’t want my team to worry.
When communication decreases, uncertainty increases.
It’s better to disappoint your team with a hard truth than to deceive them with a lie.
If your team doesn’t know and then discovers, they will feel excluded.
Someone who doesn’t feel a part will never bring their whole heart.
Open up occasionally about your own weaknesses, fears, insecurities.
The moment you start leading defensively is the moment you start losing everything in leadership. You have to have faith.
People may be impressed with your strengths, but they connect with your weaknesses.
When you lead with transparency, teams get closer. You solve problems faster. Trust grows stronger.
Empathy – A Heart to Care
Your team will never care about your mission if you don’t care about your team.
To build trust, you talk less and listen more. To build trust, you get to know what is on their heart.
I met with 63 leaders 1-on-1. What are you most excited about? What would you love me to know about you? If I could do one thing to make your life better, what would it be?
I notice. You matter.
To build trust it is not about you looking good, but you loving well.
Consistency – A Culture to Trust
How many have served under a leader that was inconsistent?
“What’s it like to be on the other side of you?”
Does your team ever wonder which “you” will walk into a meeting?
You have a different mood for every meeting. You have a different direction every quarter.
Be consistent with your expectations. The number one reason that team members don’t meet expectations is because the expectations are rarely clear.
Be clear what you expect. Reward it when you see it. Correct it when you don’t.
Inconsistency does not work anywhere else in your life.
It’s not what you do occasionally that matters, it’s what you do consistently.
The best leadership is boring leadership. I wanted to write a book: Boring Your Way to Success.