Where Are You On the Trust-O-Meter?

Over the last couple of years I have had the incredible opportunity to work with many women leaders.

There is something that comes up often. And it’s bugging me. It goes something like this:

“Our people don’t trust us. Why? What do I do about it?”

“I want to collaborate and make a difference – give 150% – but I don’t trust my superiors. Why should I put in the effort?”

“Management doesn’t listen to us. They don’t ask for our input. They don’t care.”

“My managers take all the credit. I don’t get acknowledged – at all.”

And here are a couple of stats for you:

80% of Americans don’t trust corporate executives.

Roughly ½ of managers don’t trust their own leaders. (So you can imagine where they land on the Trust-O-Meter with the people they manage.)

My, my. Houston, we have a problem. This is a crisis that didn’t exist a generation ago. Thanks to 9/11, globalization, downsizing, mergers, and economic upheavals, a climate of acceleration is status quo and somewhere along the line we threw the baby out with the bath water.

Would you like to raise your Trust-O-Meter score? Would you like to maintain an environment of high energy and creativity? What would it be like to lead teams that collaborate while cultivating innovation and having fun doing it? What if you retained your employees instead of running them off? What if you see the pay off on the bottom line?

It won’t be easy. Trust can be destroyed in a nanosecond. A sideways glance. Betrayal. Broken promises and agreements. Easy lies. Judgment. Criticism. Finger pointing. Anything else?

But building trust takes time. It’s hard work and it can be scary. You may see the same sign Dorothy did …. “I would turn back if I were you”. But Dorothy was not deterred. Scared and vulnerable she dared greatly. Oh yeah – she had a few setbacks. Sometimes she got her ass kicked. The folks in the cheap seats judged and criticized. Threw tomatoes. Nevertheless, Dorothy and her team of misfits; scarecrow, tin man, and the cowardly (not!) lion carried on against all odds and entered the arena bravely. The Trust-O-Meter was off the charts. If she and her team were showing up and being courageous – willing to walk their talk – being authentic – even vulnerable – the spectators would follow them into a burning building! Would your employees (friends, colleagues, family, etc.) follow you into a burning building?

Doing the work of building trust is hard work. Nevertheless, are you willing to raise your T.O.M score? I am willing to bet you are.