by Lolly Daskal – May 2013
Imagine
Imagine telling someone: “I’m going to be taking you on a long, dangerous, and difficult trip. There will be times you are likely to be very uncomfortable, and there may be terrible storms. I’m not going to tell you where we are going, why we are going, when we are going, or how we will get there. Just TRUST ME.”
How do you think that would make anyone feel?
When a leader implements organizational change – when a boss makes major decisions affecting employees – it doesn’t work to say “just trust me.”
Like frightened children, people will come up with all kinds of reasons to resist and refuse why they do not want to come along on the trip – even if it’s a good one![dropshadowbox align=”right” effect=”lifted-both” width=”250px” height=”” background_color=”#ffffff” border_width=”1″ border_color=”#dddddd” ]
The CMO’s View
Sales managers develop trust based on this basic formula:
Trust = Rapport X Credibility
Risk
The manager, or anyone in a relationship, does things to develop and build rapport and credibility, while also doing things to reduce perceived risks for the other. The relationship won’t move forward without trust. [/dropshadowbox]
Most of us do not want to take trips into the unknown and without a destination.
Telling people “just trust me” is naiveté at its worst.
It shows an enormous amount of disrespect, sometimes dishonesty, and maybe just delusional!
In the sports business today, trust has to be earned. In leadership today, trust has to be gained.
What is trust?
- Trust is being congruent. Match your words with your actions; what you say you will do you do. Being trusted is being dependable.
- Trust is embracing transparency. When it comes to trust, the more you reveal the more you can see. When trust is transparent it can be embraced.
- Trust is honoring promises. Keep what you promised. Better yet, go the extra mile and deliver more than you promised.
- Trust is a two-way street. To make someone trustworthy, you need to trust them first. The best way to find out if you can trust somebody is to trust them.
- Trust is risk. Trust lies between faith and probability. To risk is to put yourself out of your comfort zone. Take the risk and have the faith and trust to pull you through.
- Trust is a relationship. Trust begins with the self in relationship with another. Trust others as you would wish to be trusted.
- Trust is the glue helping us stick through organizational change. Trust is foundational to holding us together.
[dropshadowbox align=”center” effect=”lifted-both” width=”450px” height=”” background_color=”#ffffff” border_width=”1″ border_color=”#dddddd” ] How am I going to lead today?
- Trust my people so they can engage and be part of the change.
- Trust my people so they can enroll and add value to the change.
- Trust my people so they can embrace and understand and respect the change.[/dropshadowbox]
Lead from within: Any leader who says “just trust me” expecting loyalty will get a group of employees resenting the journey instead of enjoying the adventure.
Trust grasps others on your team at their innermost core of loyalty.