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TRUST

By 12th November 2017 No Comments

“Trust is the glue of life. It’s the most essential ingredient in effective communication. It’s the foundational principle that holds all relationships” S Covey

Yet, it seems we live in a time where people are trusting less and less.   We view our politicians, health service, institutions and companies with doubt and skepticism, with all their failings clearly documented and embraced for all to believe.  Circles of friends and families are being pitted against each other competitively under the unceasing scrutiny and all-seeing eye of social media. Framed by the fact that we ask Google to sum up whatever information we need instantly allowing us to become experts in any known field, blissful ignorance, simple living and blind leaps of faith seem to be a thing of the past. I truly wonder where this all is headed.

Therefore, forming real relationships at home and in the work place has become more challenging and yet more important than ever. Real human interaction and connection is not something that can be simulated, it is something that is earned, felt, worth cherishing and worth holding onto.

I have been in relationships in my life where trust was there and some, where trust was not.

So, what is the definition of “Trust” what is it….

Firm belief in the reliability, truth, or ability of someone or something”

 “Trust comes from a set of common values and beliefs”

 “Trust is a positive feeling”

 “Trust needs to be earned, it evolves over time”

 

Where trust was there……. I

Showed my real face

Felt comfortable to be me

Felt safe and accepted

Felt confident to take risks and experiment

Can speak my mind

Naturally worked through conflict

Felt valued and recognised

Felt listened to

Felt loyalty

Fully committed to the role and relationship

Held myself and others accountable

Shared a vision

Was happy and content

Felt like I belonged

 

Where trust was NOT there……. I

Felt suspicious and often paranoid

Felt judged and not up to scratch

Focused on my own survival

Became cynical, selfish and self-interested

Second guessed myself and others

Became an expert in what to say and what not to do, to survive

Focused on protecting myself

Felt demotivated

Lost focus and productivity

Felt not good enough

Was angry and disappointed

Was unhappy and discontent

Was always looking for a way out

Felt afraid

 

I often think that the biggest casualty of staying in or working in a relationship with low levels of trust is how much of our own positive personality we actually lose.  Stay here too long you won’t recognise yourself after a while.

Transfer this over to entire organisations where trust levels are low, the impact and drain is extensive and staggering. When we do not feel trust and as a result feel safe we will ultimately do things to damage and hurt the culture, the company and ourselves.

Research shows that only 49% of employees trust senior management, and only 28% believe CEOs are a credible source of information.

When trust is low, in a company or in a relationship, it places a hidden “tax” on every transaction: every communication, every interaction, every strategy, every decision is taxed, bringing speed down and sending costs up.   S Covey

In my experience not addressing a lack of trust, leaks time and money out of every area and action of the business. Compensating for poor behaviours, hidden agendas, siloed working and poor results, taking triple the amount of time to get things done.

In contrast, where high trust levels are in place something very different comes to light.   The very language used changes from “me” to “us”.   Communication, relationships and productivity soar allowing decisions to be made with increasing conviction and speed. People feel valued, recognised and part of something.

Achieving a real culture of trust is one of the biggest leadership challenges you will ever face and yet one of the smartest and most strategic ways to improve bottom line results.

I have been told numerous times from CEO’s across diverse industries that “Culture” “Trust” “Engagement of your People” “Feelings” is all a bit “WOOLY”

How Wooly does this look – A recent study showed that high trust companies outperform low trust companies by nearly 300%.

Speak with LALLO about our “Building a Culture of Trust” workshop, a great first step. Contact Paula on [email protected]

Hope you enjoyed my second blog post. Speak soon.

Paula

paula

paula

Paula has an unceasing passion and interest in human potential and the workings of relationships. She is a dynamic and experienced consultant, facilitator and trainer in personal growth development. A visionary leader who inspires and supports others to be the best they can be and is the founder and Managiing Director of LALLO Ltd.