More than half of employees worldwide, 63% according to the Edelman Trust Barometer, do not trust their leaders. Also, many employees do not believe in either the competencies or values of their fellow employees. This blatant lack of mistrust is what creates silos, disrespectful communication, and the departmental finger-pointing that weakens productivity and morale in the workplace.
As a business owner or manager, it’s your responsibility to keep staff members engaged and motivated. You have to earn their trust, acknowledge and reward hard work, and provide guidance when necessary.
Would you work hard for a boss that didn’t value your contributions or acknowledge your efforts? What if they paid you more? Approximately 50% of respondents surveyed said they’d prefer to have a great boss rather than receive higher pay.
Of course, the other 50% said they’d instead take the higher pay. Those who value money over high-trust relationships tend to be lone wolves who believe they work better on their own. I was one of these Type A, high-achievers. However, I’ve learned that trusting in and collaborating with other people has optimized my potential in ways that I could not have experienced on my own.
If your team members trust you, they’ll work harder and do their best to help you and the business succeed. They will also bring synergistic ideas and perspectives that increase operational excellence, improve customer experiences, and generate new revenue opportunities!
Once leadership teams realize this, the next question is, “How can we build trust faster with our employees?” While it’s true that trust builds gradually, it can also occur quickly under the right circumstances. There are specific steps you can take to create mesmerizing relationships with your employees and earn their trust faster starting today!
#1. Be A Role Model
One way to build trust in the workplace is to be a role model yourself. Set positive examples for your team by demonstrating how a high-performing, collaborative employee looks, sounds, and behaves. Own mistakes when they occur, speak proactively about other departments and share or give credit to fellow teammates to strengthen morale.
Mesmerizing leaders set high standards of accountability for themselves and their actions. They are genuine and honest, think carefully about the impact they have on others and lead with respect and integrity.
#2. Get In The Trenches With Your Team
Mesmerizing leaders understand the pressures of their employees’ position because they have either done the job themselves or have regular conversations that deepen their understanding of the employee-experience.
Get actively involved in projects and work side-by-side with your staff. One of the fastest ways to build camaraderie is by going through a shared emotional experience, like working to accomplish a large project or transitioning through a merger. If you are encouraging, transparent, and you live up to the promises you make, it will form a trusting bond between you and your team that others will admire.
#3. Catch People Doing Things Right
Our culture is obsessed with catching people doing things wrong and “busting them” on national television. You can stand out as a Mesmerizing leader by finding people doing things well and validating them for it, either privately or publicly depending on which they prefer.
Human beings crave recognition and praise, especially when working hard to achieve a personal or company goal. When you spend a portion of each day appreciating and complimenting employees on their ideas and efforts, they will emotionally feel the desire to continue contributing. It’s also easier for them to mentally justify putting in long hours or lots of hard work because “I know my boss appreciates me for it.”
#4. Trust Your Team
Trust your employees and their capabilities rather than micromanaging or doing it yourself because “I can do a better job.” Empower your team by encouraging them to solve problems, come up with new solutions, and resolve issues rather than coming to you for everything. Treat employees like fellow adults, not children.
If you’re going to rely on your team to perform at a higher level, you much also provides the resources that will allow them to succeed! Smart companies invest in the education of their people by continuously giving training in the form of outside consulting and peer-to-peer “best practices” workshops.
Many leading companies stimulate growth by creating a work environment that fosters creativity and innovation. They organize team-building activities, hackathons, and innovation challenges while providing team members with the resources they need to bring their vision to life.
Ask team members to communicate their expectations, brainstorm ideas, and seek unconventional solutions and be open to opinions and beliefs that differ from your own. Breakthroughs get discovered when viewing ideas and positions from a completely different angle. Encouraging your employees to share their perspective demonstrates you value their contributions, which boosts motivation and increases engagement!
#5. Provide Constructive Feedback
Providing feedback on how your employee is performing well, and how and where s/he has opportunities to improve outcomes, creates a safe place to learn, grow, and excel. It also massively builds trust and credibility in your leadership abilities!
Your #1 responsibility as a leader/supervisor/manager to help your staff members grow and perform at their best. The act of giving feedback shows you are paying attention and care about their success, which will strengthen the relationship. When providing feedback, be uplifting, specific, and focus more on the future than past performance. Use stories and live examples that demonstrate how applying this feedback benefits them.
An essential element for providing constructive feedback is selecting the appropriate time and place to offer it. For example, if an employee does something wrong, it’s better to schedule a one-on-one meeting rather than provide feedback publicly in front of others. Give private feedback, and then offer a choice of whether to share the knowledge gained with the rest of the team. Employees will simultaneously feel empowered and protected, and that type of respect gets reciprocated!
#6. Be Honest and Accountable
When you make a mistake, build trust by revealing and taking responsibility for it. Mesmerizing leaders use errors to improve performance, and not as a form of public ridicule.
Everyone makes mistakes, so use some of yours to demonstrate humility by occasionally turning them into teachable moments. Recently, I thought one of my employees made an error. While discussing it with her, I realized it was me who had made a mistake. I immediately let her know it was my blunder, and I apologized. Later, she told me how much she enjoyed working with me because I was so quick to take ownership. Her last boss never did this, which is why she wasn’t working for him anymore.
When employees see their leaders owning mistakes, learning from them, and making better decisions, they develop a greater sense of security and trust. Some falsely believe admitting mistakes reveals weakness. When, in fact, it’s the covering up, blaming others, or making justifications that yields mistrust and lowers credibility in leadership!
Trusted Leaders Create Happier High-Performing Teams
Employee trust and workplace performance go hand-in-hand. Trust among people results in more effective communication, improved collaboration, and fewer conflicts; i.e., happier high-performing teams. Although it’s true some high-performing teams thrive on competitiveness and a cutthroat environment, the culture as a whole tends to be toxic, and the collateral damage bears a heavy toll.
By establishing yourself as a trusted leader, you’ll motivate your employees to give their best, and they will rally even in the most difficult of times. Collective goals will become more important than personal interests, brand loyalty increases, and turnover significantly drops.
Start applying these six mesmerizing trust-building strategies this week and watch as your influence and impact skyrockets!
Tim Shurr, MA, creates happier, high-performing teams through upgrading unconscious beliefs, biases, and communication habits. This increases Leadership, Sales, and team performance faster than any other method!
It’s never too late to hone your Mesmerizing Leadership skills. Download your free “Mesmerizing Mindset Secrets Checklist” today and start fine-tuning your ability to lead with influence and impact!
