Key values for trust-based management

Trust is built through actions, not words! Trust is at the heart of any effective leadership style. I’ve found that it can make or break a team's performance, morale and overall success. Today, I want to share some insights on building and maintaining trust within your team, based on my 20+ years of experience in leadership roles. Transparency is Key: Share important updates, both good and bad. If something isn't going well, it’s better to let your team know rather than keeping them in the dark. People appreciate honesty. Open-Door Policy: Make sure you're approachable. If team members feel they can come to you with any problems or suggestions, you’re on the right track. Be Consistent: Try to treat everyone fairly and keep your promises. If people know what to expect from you, they're more likely to trust you. Acknowledge Mistakes: We're all human... we all make mistakes. Owning up to them shows maturity and reliability, two qualities that help build trust. Provide Feedback: Positive or constructive, feedback helps team members know where they stand and how they can improve. It's a two-way street... encourage them to provide you with feedback too. Tip: Always use Positive Reinforcement when giving feedback... don't make it all about the individuals shortcomings. Empower Your Team: Delegating tasks or responsibilities not only shows you trust your team's skills but also encourages their own development. The sense of ownership they get from it often leads to better results. Show Appreciation: Recognize and reward good work. Simple acts of appreciation can go a long way in building a positive and trusting work environment. Stick to Your Values: Integrity is crucial. If your actions reflect your words, people are more likely to trust you. Active Listening: Take the time to listen to your team's concerns and ideas. This not only fosters trust but can also provide you with valuable insights. Follow Through: If you commit to something, do everything in your power to make it happen. This confirms that you're reliable, further building trust. Leadership isn't about pretending to have all the answers. Simon Sinek - "In leadership, the quickest way to lose trust is to pretend you have all the answers. The best way to build it is to prove you don't." #LeadershipTrust #BuildingTeams #TransparencyInLeadership #LeadershipDevelopment #EffectiveLeadership

𝐀𝐫𝐞 𝐲𝐨𝐮𝐫 𝐥𝐞𝐚𝐝𝐞𝐫𝐬 𝐮𝐧𝐝𝐞𝐫𝐦𝐢𝐧𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐭𝐫𝐮𝐬𝐭 𝐢𝐧 𝐲𝐨𝐮𝐫 𝐭𝐞𝐚𝐦 𝐜𝐮𝐥𝐭𝐮𝐫𝐞? I just spoke with an executive coaching client, a senior person in operations. He was fuelled with frustration because his leader was "messing things up". Fortunately, I have a stockpile of tools to help him create alignment. That reflection led me here to today's post. No leader means to undermine trust. It's not like a goal they set every morning. "Yessss... let's kill culture". Yet it happens. They are perpetrators or accomplices. Until they realize why they accidentally damage culture through: 🚫 Lack of compassion. 🚫 Incompetence or inconsistency in decision making. 🚫 Inability to manage conversations. 🚫 Hidden agendas. 🚫 Distance and not knowing what their team needs. 🚫 Favoritism. 🚫 Not having good logic when explaining decisions. Here's what works (Neville and Martins, 2002): ✅ Benevolence. - show genuine concern for the well-being of your team. - let employees feel their leaders care about them - this is the strongest predictor of trust in landmark studies. - Do your leaders even believe in benevolence as a key principle? ✅ Competency. - about being good at what you do. - are you knowledgeable and skilled to inspire confidence? - Leaders need to be learners and establish thought leadership. ✅ Integrity. - deciding, communicating and acting with moral and ethical principles. - share the thinking process behind integrity-based decisions - Leaders need to resonate and align with organizational values ✅ Consistency. - Trust is built over time through positive experiences. - are you building a track record of good interactions? - what are you prepared to do when it doesn't? ✅ Personality Characteristics Three key traits for trust to blossom: - Agreeableness: often tied to being approachable - Conscientiousness: tied to detail orientation, consistent work ethic and credible decisions - Emotional Stability: well... not flying off the handle works, but also eliminating microaggressions ✅ Openness - Sharing information - Knowing what information to share (not everything is helpful) - Being transparent as to why (links to Integrity) - this is the least important factor. 𝑯𝒐𝒘 𝒂𝒓𝒆 𝒚𝒐𝒖 𝒅𝒆𝒗𝒆𝒍𝒐𝒑𝒊𝒏𝒈 𝒚𝒐𝒖𝒓 𝒍𝒆𝒂𝒅𝒆𝒓𝒔 𝒕𝒐 𝒃𝒖𝒊𝒍𝒅 𝒂 𝒄𝒖𝒍𝒕𝒖𝒓𝒆 𝒐𝒇 𝒕𝒓𝒖𝒔𝒕 𝒊𝒏 𝒚𝒐𝒖𝒓 𝒐𝒓𝒈𝒂𝒏𝒊𝒛𝒂𝒕𝒊𝒐𝒏?

Trust is a cornerstone of any successful organization. When there is strong trust, it enables innovation, collaboration, and progress across all levels. Harvard Business School professor Frances Frei highlights this in her TED Talk on building trust, where she explains how trust can propel human and organizational development. Three essential elements for building trust are outlined: 1. Empathy: True empathy requires active listening and full presence when others share their perspectives. Genuine empathy fosters understanding and strengthens bonds within a team. 2. Logic: For others to trust your decisions, your reasoning must be transparent. Present key points first, then back them up with supporting evidence to build credibility and ensure clear communication. 3. Authenticity: Encouraging team members to bring their authentic selves to work can be difficult, especially in environments that prioritize conformity. Leaders must foster an inclusive, safe space where authenticity is celebrated, and people feel valued for who they are. While these pillars are vital, I believe there's another indispensable element: Integrity. As General Counsel, integrity is the foundation of our work. Upholding the rule of law and acting with transparency and honesty are essential in building a culture of trust. "Do the right thing, always" isn't just something we say at Baker Hughes, it's a commitment to ensuring that every action reflects our values. Integrity is more than honesty; it's about care, respect, and good faith. Every team member, client, and stakeholder should trust that decisions are made in their best interest, without personal agendas. In law and business alike, integrity guides behavior. It reinforces trust and helps establish an organizational culture that is honest, resilient, and ethical. To watch the full Ted Talk video follow this link: https://lnkd.in/efgqJvrR #Trust #Leadership #Ethics #Integrity #GeneralCounsel #WeAreBakerHughes

Early in my career, my manager once told me, “The day you make 90% of the same decisions I would, you’ll be ready for the next level.” But here’s the paradox: he was anything but consistent in his decision making. The same business situation or workplace issue would show up multiple times a year, and each time he handled it differently. Sometimes strict, sometimes lenient. Sometimes detailed, sometimes dismissive. As a young manager (and an aspiring leader) trying to learn, I was left guessing. I couldn’t predict what he’d do. That unpredictability eroded my trust and left a deep sense of dissatisfaction - as if I am being cheated of an opportunity to learn. Here's what I have learnt over all these years: 1. A leader’s consistency is about creating a reliable compass for the team. 2. It doesn’t mean all decisions must be identical, but similar situations should get similar responses. 3. Consistency in decision making brings Clarity. Clarity creates Motivation. Motivation creates Purpose. And having a Purpose gives you a sense of belonging and pride at work… you get the drift...right? Leadership has many facets to it, but being unpredictable and inconsistent, kills all the goodwill you may build with your teams and other stakeholders. Trust is a function of consistency over time and without trust there is no Leadership. So if you are a budding manager or a team-lead, earn the trust of your team by being Consistent in all your dealings with them. It is a key factor of all successful and admired leaders. #Consistency #Clarity #Growth #Trust #HappyCorporateSouls