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Trending: Leaders Lack Trust

Writer's picture: Mahogany Tucker (she/her)Mahogany Tucker (she/her)

As a leader, your success is directly tied to your team's success. You can have the best strategy, the most advanced technology, and the most innovative ideas, but without a team that trusts you, respects you, and feels valued, your efforts will be in vain.

To be an effective people leader, you must focus on three key areas: trust building, spiritual practice, and deep respect for the personhood of your staff.


Trust 101

Trust is a belief in the reliability, truth, or ability of someone or something[1]. In an organizational context, trust refers to the belief that colleagues, managers, and the organization as a whole will act fairly, ethically, and consistently with their stated values[2].

Trust is critical for effective organizational functioning because it creates a sense of psychological safety, which enables employees to take risks, share ideas, and collaborate more effectively[2]. When employees trust their colleagues and managers, they are more likely to communicate openly, seek feedback, and work together to achieve common goals[3]. This leads to increased creativity, innovation, and productivity, as well as improved employee engagement and job satisfaction[2].

On the other hand, a lack of trust can lead to a range of negative outcomes, including low morale, increased conflict, and decreased productivity[4]. Employees who do not trust their colleagues or managers may be less likely to share information, take risks, or collaborate effectively[2]. This can lead to silos, communication breakdowns, and missed opportunities.

Trust is critical to effective organizational functioning because it creates a sense of psychological safety, enabling employees to take risks, share ideas, and collaborate more effectively. When employees trust their colleagues and managers, they are more likely to communicate openly, seek feedback, and work together to achieve common goals, which leads to increased creativity, innovation, and productivity.


Trust Building

Trust is the foundation of any successful relationship and is especially critical in a leadership role. Trust is built over time, requiring consistency, transparency, and authenticity.

Consistency means that you are reliable and predictable in your actions and words. Your team needs to know that they can count on you to follow through on your commitments and that you will treat everyone fairly and consistently.

Transparency means that you are open and honest with your team. You share information freely, admit your mistakes, and seek feedback from your team. This helps to build trust and creates a culture of openness and accountability.

Authenticity means that you are genuine and true to yourself. You don't try to be someone you're not, and you don't pretend to know everything. Your team will respect you more if you are honest about your strengths and weaknesses and are willing to learn from others.


Spiritual Practice

Spiritual practice may seem odd in business, but it is essential for effective people leadership. Spiritual practice is not necessarily about religion but connecting with something greater than yourself and finding meaning and purpose in your work.

As a people leader, you must be able to inspire and motivate your team. This requires a deep sense of purpose and a passion for what you do. Spiritual practice can help you to tap into this sense of purpose and passion and to communicate it to your team. Fear-based leadership is not leadership at all (It is fear in a suit, with a fancy title)

Spiritual practice can take many forms, such as meditation, prayer, mindfulness, or simply reflecting on your values and beliefs. Whatever form it takes, making time for spiritual practice in your busy schedule is essential.

When the stakes are high, our imagination often drives fearful thoughts of distrust, control, and we begin projecting onto the people around us. Your spiritual practice should support your ability to be self-aware and take accountability for your impact. 


Respect for Personhood

Finally, effective people leadership requires a deep respect for the personhood of your staff. This means that you see your team members as individuals with unique talents, strengths, and needs rather than as interchangeable cogs in a machine.

Respect for personhood means that you take the time to get to know your team members, to understand their goals and aspirations, and to provide the support and resources they need to succeed. It means you treat everyone with dignity and respect, regardless of their position or experience level.

When you respect the personhood of your staff, you create a culture of trust, collaboration, and innovation. Invest in their vision for their career and watch them take bigger risks. When your team members feel valued and empowered, they are more likely to go above and beyond to achieve the organization's goals.


Conclusion

In conclusion, effective people leadership requires trust building, spiritual practice, and deep respect for the personhood of your staff. By focusing on these key areas, you can create a culture of trust, collaboration, and innovation that will drive your team's and your organization's success.


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