Effective leaders are trustworthy people. If folks don’t trust you, it’s very hard to influence them.
For over twenty years, Barry Posner and Jim Kouzes have conducted research to learn what people expect in their leaders. Since 1987, they’ve published their results in four editions of The Leadership Challenge. The primary item that individuals report that they expect in their leaders is honesty. We want our leaders to be truthful, ethical, principled, and of high integrity ~ authentic sums it up.
Have you ever resolved conflict between two individuals who don’t trust each other? How easy was that? Exactly! “Trust” is a conclusion we tend to draw subconsciously. Rarely do we understand the facts that lead us to that conclusion.
When someone says, “I don’t trust him,” you may ask, “Why is that?” Chances are that you’ll receive a shrug of the shoulders or a description of an exaggerated incident. Conveniently, we tend to draw the conclusion, then search for relevant facts to justify it.
For a moment, however, think about why you consider some people trustworthy and others not. Start by thinking of someone you deeply trust. Also, think of someone you don’t trust. You need both to do this simple three-element model to test your relationships with these two individuals who represent the extremes of people you know.
The first element that has to be in place for trust to exist is “competence”. The question is, “Do I believe that this person is capable of doing whatever he or she claims to do?” For example, you might not trust your Doctor to conduct a thorough check of your automobile when your check engine light comes on, but you definitely want the Doctor to handle when your appendix bursts!
The second element that has to be in place is “honorable motive”. The question is, “Do I believe that this person offering help is doing so from a genuine desire to serve? Or is there some intent there that is more selfish?” We often make judgments about why people do what they do, and we are often wrong. Still, it’s our perception of their motives and intentions that determines whether we trust or not.
The final element that has to be in place is “reliability”. The question is, “Do I believe that this person is committed to doing (and actually does) whatever it takes to keep his or her promise, even if the going gets rough?” Sometimes people have good intentions, but they fail to follow-through. They don’t have to let us down very often for us to conclude that we’re not able to trust in what they tell us to expect.
Are you ready to test the model? Think about the person you trust. I’ll bet he or she rates highly in all three areas. For the person you don’t trust, I guarantee that he or she rates poorly in at least one of these three areas! (All three areas are required for trustworthiness.)
If you have responsibility for developing future leaders in your organization, it’s helpful to use this model in providing feedback for their growth. A person can improve the first characteristic, competence, by seeking additional training and experience (practice). The second and third criteria can be improved if people receive genuine and loving feedback and make different choices about their future behaviors.
The best way to apply these three criteria, however, is to your own behaviors. Do you claim competence only in areas where you really have it? Are you careful that your motives are pure, genuinely desiring to serve those you influence? And do you make promises sparingly, making sure to follow up on every expectation you generate?
As a leader, your behaviors are watched all the time, and people are making judgments about your trustworthiness based on what they observe. I encourage you to build your competencies continually through personal growth, to think through why and how you are contributing your services, and to follow-through on every commitment you make!
What are your thoughts on this topic? How would you begin to break through your filters to begin shifting your focus on becoming a trustful and authentic leader? We would love to hear from you with comments or questions. Send me a note via email at brad@aperiocoaching.net or on Twitter @bparcells.
In Latin, Aperio means to reveal, uncover, to make clear. Coaching is a powerful process that enables the client to reveal and illuminate their authentic leadership style via a sharp focus on who they are at the core.
