Self-management - Building trust with others
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- Building trust with others
The importance of trust
Trust is the key to building strong working relationships and inspiring loyalty from those who look to you for direction. You cannot effectively lead people if they do not trust you.
They may follow you because they have to, but you will never truly win them over if they do not trust you.
Building trust
Trust is not a perk that comes along with a leadership position. It needs to be built over time. The difficulty is that almost every single action you take as a leader will build or destroy trust. So we’ve narrowed it down to 5 key behaviours that build trust.
- Be honest and transparent
Being honest should go without saying - if you tell lies and try to deceive people, they will not trust you. - Be accountable
Put your hand up when you get it wrong and take responsibility for your actions. Don't blame others or make excuses. - Act with integrity
Always try to do the right thing by others and by the organisation. Don't be unethical and don't act in your own self-interest at the expense of others. - Deliver on your promises
If you promise something, make sure you deliver. If you can't, take responsibility for breaking your promise. - Be genuine
Don't try to fool people and pretend to be something you are not. Just be yourself.
Important: One key element missing from the list above is being competent - but that should go without saying. If you don’t know what you’re doing, people won’t trust in your abilities to get the job done. This covers all of the technical aspects of your role as well as the people management aspects.
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