Trust Across America – Trust Around the World is an organization highlighting the importance and value of trusted leaders and organizations. They have launched a week long campaign – Trust Giving 2014 – to highlight perspectives on trust.
Trust is critical to making any relationship or organization function in a meaningful, productive way. As a value, trust is one of those things we know it is working when we experience and believe it. As soon as something seems to break that bond, we grow skeptical quickly. Trust is given, just as trust is received. In the middle, we decide if the trust is real or fake. (tweet this)
In the spirit of the Trust Giving campaign, what does giving trust really mean? Trust is not like a big hug, although we know when we feel trust. (tweet this) Trust is not an art piece, although we know when we see trust work in amazing ways. Trust is not something we intake like piece of cake, although we know how trust can satisfy basic needs for a fulfilling culture.
What does giving trust really mean?
Giving trust means:
- We can maintain relationships that work, grow, and bear valuable fruit in what we produce.
- We can be honest in our conversations and expect a stronger understanding in return.
- We can do our work with no fear of second-guessing or behind-our-back maneuvering.
- We can pursue a higher purpose instead of planning how to appease or work around personal politics.
As the givers of trust, we focus on our relationships, conversations, work, and purpose. What unfolds is marvelous. A magical balance of giving and receiving happens. We work in a state of harmony and happiness. Satisfaction soars as we are able to achieve much.
As good as this sounds, it seems to rarely happen in our workplaces. Leaders do not focus on being givers of trust. Imagine the leadership and culture change if they did.
Millennials: The trust factor
Millennials are a force in our workplaces now and more are on the way. Trust is a factor as they have an impact on leadership and culture. As they enter, trust is at an all-time low. According to Jean Twenge, Ph.D in a recent study:
“In the mid-1970s, when baby boomers were coming of age, about a third of high school seniors agreed that ‘most people can be trusted.’ That dropped to 18 percent in the early 1990s for Gen Xers — and then, in 2012, to just 16 percent of Millennials.” (Study: Millennials less trusting than Gen X was, September 4, 2014)
I remember when I was a 20-something entering my first jobs. I was full of trust and why not? I was raised to do what I said I was going to do and also to do my part to leave something better than before.
As I entered my first job, I saw how one leader became more and more self-absorbed, losing sight of what mattered in the work we did. Later on, I saw a different leader pay certain people more so he could build alliances within the organization. In our careers, our trust radars begin to sharpen and we recognize when trust is evaporating. (tweet this)
Unfortunately, Millennials have their trust radar already highly-tuned. With social media and other ways to be more attuned to untrustworthy events, Millennials are optimistic and realistic.
Millennials: The trust leadership challenge and opportunity
The Millennial leader challenge is to return trust to our workplaces and communities and be givers of trust. I believe Millennials are well-equipped to do this and lead well from a core value of trust. Millennials have already experienced what distrust delivers to our financial, business, and political systems, and I am confident in their desire to be problem-solvers and purpose-driven.
A key place to begin takes us back to what giving trust means. For Millennial leaders, leading as trust givers means:
- Build meaningful relationships based in trust – do what you say, say what you do.
- Have honest, unfettered conversations to understand problems, situations, and scenarios.
- Focus on the work to be done in order to advance your team, organization, and community objectives.
- Lead on purpose always – focus on the higher purpose of the work to be done, remain purpose-centered and avoid being self-centered.
Solid, open relationships will keep your conversations honest and meaningful. With good relationships and conversations, your work will be productive and result-oriented. An enduring focus on purpose will keep your intentions transparent and inspiring. This is the challenge and opportunity for Millennial leaders.
What can others do now? Tim Elmore of Growing Leaders highlights some solid ways for older generations to return to trust and starting within our own circles of influence is an essential place to begin. Tim’s advice applies to all generations.
Let’s work together in trust, across generations. Let us all be trust givers.
Are you ready? How will you demonstrate your leadership in giving trust?
Another great post Jon.
I probably don’t need to tell you how important trust is to me based on previous posts and comments.
I loved all 4 points you provided as a basis for establishing trust as leaders. I especially want to highlight point two. The more we create a safe space for people to be ABLE to be honest with us, the more trust we can create. This is also dependent on how we handle it when someone is honest with us.
Granted, we’re imperfect human beings so there’s always going to be room for improvement between balancing truth spoken with love (figuring out appropriate amounts of each in the situation) and context.
If I am the one who has more authority in the relationship or situation, the more I will allow room for mistakes in someone learning to be honest. Many people operate in fear until or unless they KNOW they can be honest with an authority figure.
Being a ‘model’ up is far more challenging if you are dealing with a fearful person with more authority who isn’t used to honesty. There tends to be over-protection, avoidance behaviors, etc. Until or unless a history of trust can be established. Yet ultimately people should be facing the customer rather then the boss in terms of the majority of the energy and focus. ‘Who are we really here to serve?’
Great insights Jon! As usual!
I really (really) like the concept of creating that safe space for people to be honest, Samantha. This is really a challenge to do, as we let ourselves become defensive or protective. Maybe we need to create a mindful way to create that safe space. When we do, my guess is relationships and partnerships will excel.
All of this needs to be wrapped in your second point – Who are we really hear to serve? Keeping that in mind will keep us grounded.
Thank you for adding an important insight to this conversation! Jon
It’s a concept I began learning about in a spiritual life coaching I attended and one of the courses I studied was on creating conscious relationships, which are based on the highest degree of truth and integrity. And a commitment to emotional honesty is vital and takes some courage.
Courage doesn’t grow without trust, and trust grows when each person learns through the experiences shared together that it’s safe to share your true thoughts and feelings. All of which create emotional intimacy.
And that is what creates the ‘sacred space’ or the safe space that is needed for this honesty.
Key point: None of it is a commitment to perfect behavior because that’s impossible. It’s a commitment to truth and integrity. Big difference.
Thanks again Jon! I love learning with you. 🙂
That is a big difference but an important. one. We cannot commit to perfection but we can commit to truth and integrity. Thanks again!!
Jon,
This post reminds me of a team I was on where the leadership always asked for questions to be submitted before all-hands meetings. Prior to the meeting, they would select a few to be answered during the meeting but no live questions would be entertained or answers to the selected few questions expanded. They thought that by including peoples questions they were building trust. However, the way the did it destroyed trust in a big way.
Appreciate the millennial challenge you’ve issued. I think it’s up to all of us, across generations to work together to create trusting organizations and leaders for the future.
Fantastic piece, Jon!
Happy Trustgiving and Thanksgiving to you!
Thank you, Alli. It is amazing at times in how leaders take actions, thinking they are building trust but are destroying it instead. We need to be unafraid and face the questions – this is trust made active!
Appreciate your example and insights. A great addition to the conversation.
Have a wonderful Thanksgiving with your family and thank you for all your contributions, especially to TrustGiving!
Jon
Excellent post, Jon!
For me giving trust involves doing what I say I will do so that I can be depended upon. What often erodes trust is when we work with others who say they will help us navigate through difficult situations and then just leave us out there by ourselves when things get tough. It is important that we don’t make empty promises but try our hardest to follow through even if it is imperfect.
I also think that trust is built by spending time getting to know others in a deeper way.
Thanks Jon!
Great points, Terri. In the middle of your insights and trust is empathy. Getting to know others builds trust. Thank you! Jon