The Significance of Trust

“The glue that holds all relationships together — including the relationship between the leader and the led — is trust, and trust is based on integrity.” ~ Brian Tracy

Success in life hinges upon the ability to build and sustain relationships with others. This fact allies to both our personal and professional lives.  Many elements combine to form a relationship, but there is one specific facet that is more important than others.  Trust is the bedrock of any relationship.  Without it the chances are pretty good that the relationship will not withstand the test of time. In our personal lives trust is built over time through a combination of behaviors such as honesty, integrity, dependability, communication, and empathy.  It is something that is earned and as such, time must be spent to build it. When in place, a relationship thrives in a mutually beneficial way.  

With all the time and energy that goes into building a relationship it can be undone in an instant. Trust can be lost through acts of secrecy, dishonesty, ego, and selfishness. There is no balance here. Trust must be earned and nurtured over time. Marriage is a great personal example where trust helps to build a bond prior to tying the knot.  Leading up to the proposal is a time period where two people work to build trust and eventually determine whether or not they love one another.  I think it goes without saying that you can’t love a person who you don’t trust. Sure, trust in one another can be tested during the course of any relationship, but without trust the relationships cease to exist.

Image credit: http://www.euroscientist.com/

Trust is just as important in the professional world as it is in our personal lives. Without it nothing of substance will ever materialize. Research validates this statement. I recently read an article titled The Neuroscience of Trust by Paul Zak.  Below is a key finding from his research.

Compared with people at low-trust companies, people at high-trust companies report: 74% less stress, 106% more energy at work, 50% higher productivity, 13% fewer sick days, 76% more engagement, 29% more satisfaction with their lives, 40% less burnout.

Wow!  The results above speak for themselves.  As leaders we need to critically reflect on how we not only improve, but also develop trust in and with the people with whom we work.  Before I expand on a list of strategies that can assist in developing trust and building relationships I want to definitively state the one behavior that unequivocally creates a culture devoid of trust….micromanagement.  Leaders who micromanage don’t build up the others around them. Instead they miss a golden opportunity to empower others to unleash their hidden talents and become leaders themselves. Controlling everything and the continuous scrutiny of the actions of others destroys morale while undermining a key principle that it takes a village to raise a child. In the case of education, it takes the actions of the collective, rooted in trust, agency, and empowerment to achieve sustainable results.

A culture of trust will never be established if micromanagers abuse their power. Below are some quick strategies to build trust in any culture:

• Delegate tasks to build capacity in others. 
• Use a process of consensus for major initiatives and changes. All stakeholders, including students, yearn to have a stake in culture changing decisions that impact them. 
• Develop pathways to improve student agency to build a greater sense of trust among learners, but also focus on educator agency.
• During meetings and conversations be present both physically and mentally. Listen intently and act to illustrate that the ideas of others are valued.
• No matter what it takes, try to find practical solutions to give people you work with the most precious resource of all – time. When doing so remove the fear of failure. As principal I created the Professional Growth Period (PGP), which was our take on genius for staff. 
• Guide people through conversations on the “what ifs” instead of spending precious time on the “yeah buts”. Thinking big and allowing others to actively pursue and implement innovative ideas show others that you truly believe in their work. This is how we can being to transform leadership.
• Use observation and evaluation protocols as a means for growth and improvement, not as an “I gotcha”. Engage others in reflective dialogue around professional practice, afford the opportunity to align evidence to support any written narrative, and provide additional points of contact if someone has a bad day when being observed/evaluated. Use walk-throughs to provide targeted feedback to prepare educators for more formal evaluations.  Return on Instruction (ROI) matters.
• Keep your word.
• Don’t ask others to do what you are not willing to do yourself.
• Avoid self-promotion. Instead work tirelessly to openly commend and build up the work of others.

If you tend to micromanage, stop now. Think about your actions and how they might be negatively impacting the people you work with.  If you are not a micromanager, reflect on how you can utilize some of the strategies above to build better relationships through trust.  What else would you add to the list above?