Building Higher Trust 108 Humility

January 20, 2023

Humility is a key characteristic for everyone to embrace. True humility is not seen often in the ranks of leaders. Ego, rather than humility, seems to be the more common trait in management circles. Let’s examine why this is and suggest some ideas to modify the pattern.

Anyone who has reached a leadership position has a tale to tell. He or she got there through a series of steps and events.  Some steps were deserved, and some of them were just being in the right place at the right time. Another common factor is knowing the right people.

Getting ahead

It usually takes a lot of energy and talent to get ahead. People in the organization may look at a newly appointed leader and remark how they “lucked into it.” As Earl Nightingale said in Lead The Field, “Luck is what happens when preparedness meets opportunity.” There should be some level of personal satisfaction for a leader when he or she emerges from the pack and is elevated. We should celebrate this kind of milestone.

The tendency toward inflated egos

Upon reaching a higher level, the leader quickly becomes aware of an increase in power and influence. I once got a big promotion, and a Dilbert-like IT employee in the new organization started calling me “thou” and “thee” until I put an end to it. It is very easy to let the trappings or perks of a higher level inflate one’s ego. There is nothing wrong with appreciating one’s self-worth if it is kept in proper perspective. It is also important that the person also appreciates and publicly acknowledges the worth of others.

Unfortunately, many leaders do lose perspective and start acting like jerks. Scott Adams, creator of the Dilbert Cartoon Series, would have needed to make a living in some other field if not for the hubris of leaders.

How humility helps

The role of humility in creating and maintaining trust in organizations was well documented by Jim Collins in Good to Great. Collins identified passion and humility as two common traits of the most effective leaders – he called them “level 5 leaders.” Here is a very brief video clip of Jim Collins describing the difference between a level four leader and a level five leader.

It would be easy to say, “don’t be too full of yourself,” and show the benefits of humility. Unfortunately for the narcissist leader, changing the thought patterns and behaviors is extremely difficult.

How to fix it?

If it is so important, what can we do about it? Is there a kind of anti-hubris powder we can sneak into the orange juice of over-inflated executives? Oh, if it was only that easy.

What we are talking about here is re-educating the boss with influence from below. We want to let him know that his own attitude is getting in the way of trust. Reeducating the boss is always tricky. It reminds me of the adage, “Never wrestle a pig…you get all muddy and the pig loves it.”

Work to educate the leader

One suggestion is to form a kind of support network with the employees and leaders on the topic of leadership. Book clubs where employees along with their leaders take a lunch hour once a week to study the topic can begin a constructive dialog.

You can’t just march into the boss’s office and say, “You are a total narcissist, knock it off and get down from your pedestal.” You need to use a water drop treatment with lots of Socratic Questions.

Conclusion

If you are a leader, try this little test. If you think you are a humble servant leader all the time, you are probably off-base. Chances are you have some serious blind spots. Go and get it checked out! If your mental picture is one of an imperfect person trying to learn more about how to lead, then you are probably okay.

 

Bob Whipple, MBA, CPTD, is a consultant, trainer, speaker, and author in the areas of leadership and trust.  He is the author of The Trust Factor: Advanced Leadership for Professionals, Understanding E-Body Language: Building Trust Online, and Leading with Trust is Like Sailing Downwind.  Bob has many years as a senior executive with a Fortune 500 Company and with non-profit organizations

 

 

 

 


Building Higher Trust 107 Trust Cultures

January 12, 2023

Over the past forty years, I have studied trust cultures. I have witnessed literally hundreds of organizations and seen the best of the best and the other extreme. Throughout this conquest, I have kept notes on the differences and similarities in order to draw some conclusions.

High trust cultures

The atmosphere in high-trust organizations is refreshing and light. People enjoy coming to work because they have fun and enjoy their coworkers. They are also more than twice as productive as their counterparts in lower trust areas. They honestly feel like winners.

People rarely leave high-trust organizations, because they are aware of how precious their culture really is. High-trust groups still have significant problems to solve, but they do so efficiently and with low acrimony.

Low trust cultures

In groups with low trust, the atmosphere is oppressive. People describe their work as a hopeless string of sapping activities and abuse. These things are foisted upon them by the clueless morons who run the place. Many people are either looking for better employment or simply retired in place. They feel like losers.

Most top leaders understand all of the above. The conundrum is, they sincerely want to build an environment of higher trust. Unfortunately, they consistently do things that take them in the wrong direction. I made a  brief video about my observations of many leaders. The video is entitled “The Role of Leaders.”

Many leaders end up hiring expensive consultants to help create a better environment within their organization. This practice rarely works because the leader does not realize the problem cannot be fixed by an outsider. To fix the problem of low trust, the leader needs to fess up. “The atmosphere around here stinks, and it must be my fault because I am the one in charge. How can I change my own behavior in order to turn the tide toward an environment of higher trust”?

With that attitude, there is a real possibility an outside coach or consultant can help the organization. Unfortunately, most leaders have a blind spot on their own contribution to low trust, so in those groups. there is little hope of a lasting change.

Leader behaviors that build or destroy trust

It is easy to brainstorm a list of a hundred things leaders can do to build trust.  The opposite of these things will destroy trust.  For example, if a leader always walks the talk, then trust will grow.  If the leader does not walk the talk, then trust will be destroyed. In my classes, I share a couple dozen of the big things that build or destroy trust. If you are interested, here is an article on “Trust Behaviors” that names several of these factors.

There is one factor that enables all the other factors to work well. I believe it is the key leadership behavior to build trust.

Create psychological safety

If you have built psychological safety, then people in your organization know they can share their true feelings without fear of being put down. Once you build that level of confidence with all your people, maintain it. Then all of the other trust-building behaviors work like magic.

As a leader, you build psychological safety by reinforcing people when they are candid. Basically, you make people feel glad they brought up a scary issue. Most leaders cannot reinforce candor consistently, and that is why so many organizations fail to have high trust.

Conclusion

A culture of high trust is precious for any organization.  If you have it, you will succeed and if you don’t you will surely fail.  It is vital to create and maintain high trust in your organization. Leaders create trust by reinforcing candor.

Bob Whipple, MBA, CPTD, is a consultant, trainer, speaker, and author in the areas of leadership and trust.  He is the author of The Trust Factor: Advanced Leadership for Professionals, Understanding E-Body Language: Building Trust Online, and Leading with Trust is Like Sailing Downwind.  Bob has many years as a senior executive with a Fortune 500 Company and with non-profit organizations

 


Building Higher Trust 106 Trust is a Blanket

January 6, 2023

I believe that the concept of trust is like a blanket in many ways. I am writing this article on a very cold morning deep in December.  A major cold wave gripping the country, makes the thought of a comforting blanket help me feel warmer.

Let’s examine some of the characteristics of a blanket and draw analogies to the concepts of trust to see where this goes. Ever since we climbed out of the womb, the ambient conditions made us uncomfortable. Our mothers would wrap us up in a blanket so we felt safe and warm.

Just like Linus’ blanket

Linus, the character from the Peanuts Cartoon Series, always had his blanket in hand to protect him whenever he needed it.  Over the years we associate safety and comfort with a blanket. We can say the same for trust.  The world can be a scary place at times. The warmth and comfort of a trusting relationship with another person makes it OK.

Blankets provide insulation

The chief function of a blanket is to insulate our skin from cool temperatures.  Our bodies generate heat all the time, but that heat dissipates without some insulation. Similarly, the trust and affection of another person insulate us from some of the harsh realities that exist in our world.

Blankets give shelter

When we need it, a blanket can provide shelter. That is true whether you are sitting in a football bleacher or trying to sleep on the ground as a homeless person.  Trust also provides shelter from emotional challenges. We can fall back on the love and affection of people we trust during dangerous or difficult times. As a blanket is a physical safety net, trust is an emotional safety net. We have support when we need it most.

Blankets can be cleaned

If a blanket becomes soiled, you can have it cleaned and restored to its original utility.  We can also recover damaged trust. I have written several articles on how to heal damaged trust. Here is a recent example of how to Restore Damaged Trust.

Blankets last a long time

It is not uncommon to have a cherished blanket passed down from one generation to another.  I have several blankets that I inherited from my mother when she passed away.  Likewise, trust has an intrinsic value that we can pass from one relationship to another with ease. That property gives rise to the culture of trust that exists in several organizations.

A culture of trust becomes viral

When there is a bond between people in an organization or family, it can easily spread to others and become a viral phenomenon.  That is one way trust is not like a blanket. A blanket is a finite piece of material. Sure, you can sew two blankets together but that does not enhance the intrinsic value the blanket represents. Actually, you would end up tripping on it.  With trust, the more you have the more you can generate and enjoy more benefits.

Conclusion

Many of the characteristics of trust are shared with those of a blanket. One area where they are different is the ability to expand in scope. The ability to grow more trust in any organization is priceless.

 

Bob Whipple, MBA, CPTD, is a consultant, trainer, speaker, and author in the areas of leadership and trust.  He is the author of The Trust Factor: Advanced Leadership for Professionals, Understanding E-Body Language: Building Trust Online, and Leading with Trust is Like Sailing Downwind.  Bob has many years as a senior executive with a Fortune 500 Company and with non-profit organizations

 

 

 


Building Trust 105 Stupid or Brilliant

December 29, 2022

I do a fun exercise in my leadership classes called “Stupid or Brilliant.” I go through a number of scenarios and specify an action that, on the surface, appears to be stupid. In each case, the loss of control would appear to be devastating from a risk point of view. I ask the participants to vote if the action was stupid or brilliant.

Participants have to vote on Stupid or Brilliant

I give each participant a card that has a big “thumbs down” on one side and a brilliant light bulb on the other.  After considering each scenario I ask the participants to vote with their card without talking.

There are some examples where there is a documented correct answer, but most of the questions can lead to lively debate. Here is an example of a question with a real surprise answer.

Selling Doughnuts in NYC

A doughnut street vendor at the base of a skyscraper in New York City noticed that the line was too long while people waited for him to make change. He was losing customers. He put out a box with change and small bills and a sign that read “In a hurry? Make your own change: I trust you!”

At first glance, putting money out in trust in NYC would be stupid. People could just take the cash and go.  Instead, the vendor found the strategy more than doubled his revenue.  It was brilliant for three reasons:

  1. The throughput of his vending operation increased by 50% because the line moved faster.
  2. People started talking about his trust throughout the building, and they came out to buy from this honest vendor.
  3. Many people would not even take the change. If their total came to $3.75, they would just put in a five-dollar bill and walk away. They did not want to be seen rooting around in the change box.

What appeared on the surface to be a stupid idea turned out to be brilliant in the real world at that time.

Different Stupid or Brilliant situations

Other strategies for trusting people leave room for analysis. For example:
One consultant decided to charge only what the customer felt was appropriate after completing his work.  He would leave the fee totally up to the discretion of the people he was helping.  This tactic defies negotiation logic. It ignores the principle that the value of the service is reduced after the service is rendered. Yet, this consultant generally did very well and often earned large fees. He made more than he would have if he had negotiated a firm price before doing the work.

A work example

One organization was forced by market conditions to do some downsizing.  They decided to allow the impacted people to continue to use their old office. They used their computers, and cell phones while they were looking for work elsewhere.  There were a few stated rules about not being disruptive and honoring professional behaviors while on the premises. Other than that, the severed employees were treated the same as the ones retained. There was a risk, but the company found that the benefits far outweighed the risks. The company was able to show compassion for the workers at a very low cost.

For sure this is stupid

You can carry blind trust to an extreme where a strategy is truly stupid. The owner of a bar does not charge patrons per drink but asks each customer to keep track of what he consumed. He will pay at the end of the night.  Obviously, most people vote for this as a “stupid” strategy. On the other hand, it would make an interesting experiment, because it may be possible that customers would pay more than required on average rather than pay less.

The point is that when we really do trust people to do the right thing, they often respond in ways that defy conventional wisdom.  We derive that logic from a social norm based on a controlling philosophy. Most people react with integrity and gratitude when we extend trust to them. That is why it is better to trust people working from home and not track their daily output.

I have developed what I call the “First Law of Trust.”  It is: “If you are unhappy with the level of trust others have toward you, the first corrective action is to find ways to extend trust more to them.” Trust is reciprocal in nature, so the best way to receive more trust is to give more. Try this technique with the people in your life, and you will see a dramatic increase in trust.  Often what seems like an unwise risk to take will turn out to be rewarded by far greater loyalty than you can imagine.

Bob Whipple, MBA, CPTD, is a consultant, trainer, speaker, and author in the areas of leadership and trust.  He is the author of The Trust Factor: Advanced Leadership for Professionals, Understanding E-Body Language: Building Trust Online, and Leading with Trust is Like Sailing Downwind.  Bob has many years as a senior executive with a Fortune 500 Company and with non-profit organizations

 

 

 

 


Building Higher Trust 104 Trust and Santa Claus

December 20, 2022

How old were you when you stopped believing in Santa Claus?  I think it depended on your family situation.  If you grew up in a household with several children, then it was probably early. The word about Santa being a figment would cascade from schools through your siblings.

Conditions that cause loss of trust in Santa Claus

If your parents were consistent with the message about Santa, then it is likely you believed for a longer period. I can remember my father on Christmas Eve.  He would stand in the doorway of my bedroom and drum his fingers on the side of the door sill. His hands were out of sight to me from my bed. He would say, “I think I can hear the hoofs up on the roof now.”

It seemed illogical that the fat man could slide down a chimney with a heavy bag of toys. It was especially puzzling when we had a fire going in the fireplace. My trust in Santa was dashed by the time I was about five or six. I think the atmosphere at school had a lot to do with killing off the myth.

My brothers and I played along with the game for several years after we knew the truth.  Why kill off a figment that ends up bringing toys into the house? We actually did not trust that Santa was real, but we played the game because it was to our advantage.  It was like a faux trust.

The faith came back 

Today, when I see the faces of small children when Santa visits, I begin to have faith again. I am firmly convinced that Santa Claus is alive and well.  It is the concept rather than the person that makes it real for me.

There is a lot of pain and uncertainty in our world these days, especially for children. To have the jolly fat man in a red suit visit the place is some comfort.  It does not matter that you know it is really Uncle Neddy dressed like Santa. The magic still works. You trust in the goodness of the image rather than the person.

In the spirit of the holiday season, let’s all rejoice that Santa is very much alive and at work in our hometown. It will make our lives just a little brighter, and that is a blessing in these challenging times. Don’t let anyone tell you that Santa Claus is a myth.

If you truly believe in the concept of Santa Claus, it is worth it to get out of bed and enjoy your day.

Bob Whipple, MBA, CPTD, is a consultant, trainer, speaker, and author in the areas of leadership and trust.  He is the author of The Trust Factor: Advanced Leadership for Professionals, Understanding E-Body Language: Building Trust Online, and Leading with Trust is Like Sailing Downwind.  Bob has many years as a senior executive with a Fortune 500 Company and with non-profit organizations

 

 

 

 


Building Higher Trust 103 First Law of Trust

December 16, 2022

Years ago I coined a phrase “The First Law of Trust.” I derived my First Law of Trust after studying trust for decades. It states, “if you want to see more trust, you must extend more trust.” The basis of the rule is that trust is always reciprocal.

The First Law of Thermodynamics gave me the idea. We learned it in college, but I had to look it up today. The law states that energy cannot be created or destroyed; it can only be converted from one form to another. It appears that the Second Law of Thermodynamics is your memory ain’t what it once was!

The reciprocal nature of trust 

Trust always works in both directions.  When we show more trust in others we begin to see more trust extended back to us. It is why I never dropped my young daughter when twirling her around. She was trusting me with her life, and I responded by hanging onto her.

This simple truth is why I cringe when I see some employers violating the law.  They want people who work for them to trust them. Then they put tracking mechanisms on remote workers to measure their output. Not only is the practice illogical, it violates the first law of trust.

I believe this kind of management is why we have the phenomenon of “quiet quitting.” That behavior is doing the bare minimum of work in order to stay out of trouble.  The practice leaves working up to one’s potential on the scrap heap. Many people are insulted by the mechanisms to keep track of their activities.

Stephen M.R. Covey’s new book

In his new book Trust and Inspire, Stephen M.R. Covey shares three competencies to become a “Trust and Inspire” Leader.

The first competency is Modeling, which is about who you are. Modeling is how you show up for the world. You cannot expect others to behave with excellent values if you are not doing so yourself.

The second competency is Trusting, which is about how you lead.  Outstanding leaders understand that to see more trust, they need to extend more trust to others. That philosophy is exactly my First Law of Trust.

The third competency is Inspiring, which is about how you connect to “why.” To inspire others, they need to understand the purpose of why we do things. Stephen points out that “people don’t leave organizations, they leave bad bosses.”

The entire book is about how great leaders bring out the greatness that is inside of individuals. I recommend this book for all leaders.

Test yourself

If you are a leader, ask yourself how satisfied you are with the trust within your organization.  If it could be better, ask yourself how you can show more trust in your people. Ask how you can help them trust each other. Following this formula religiously will produce dramatic results over time.

Conclusion 

The first law of trust is operating all day every day. It is as sure as the law of gravity is on earth. Recognize that your leadership actions have everything to do with how much trust exists in your group.

Bob Whipple, MBA, CPTD, is a consultant, trainer, speaker, and author in the areas of leadership and trust.  He is the author of The Trust Factor: Advanced Leadership for Professionals, Understanding E-Body Language: Building Trust Online, and Leading with Trust is Like Sailing Downwind.  Bob has many years as a senior executive with a Fortune 500 Company and with non-profit organizations

 

 

 

 


Building Higher Trust 102 What Trust Isn’t

December 8, 2022

The idea for this article came suddenly; It is all about what trust isn’t. There are countless definitions and examples of what trust is. You could spend a lifetime reading books and articles that try to define the concept.  I thought it would be fun to attempt to define the opposite of trust.

The opposite of faith and confidence 

Trust is linked to our feelings for another person where we feel high confidence. We believe the other person will always act in our best interest. What is the opposite of that?  We could say low confidence, but that is really a state of confusion.  I am inclined to say that the opposite of trust in this definition is indifference. We simply do not care if the other person acts in our best interest.

Definition by Charles Feltman in The Thin Book of Trust 

Feltman said that Trust is “choosing to risk making something you value vulnerable to another person’s actions.” The opposite of that is to guard what you value and not let it be vulnerable. It has the connotation of hoarding what you care about because it is not safe to be vulnerable. If you hide what you consider valuable so you won’t risk the loss of it, that shows the opposite of trust. That is only one aspect of trust, but it’s a good example to use.

Linking trust to safety 

A leader’s responsibility is to create psychological safety within the organization. That is a feeling you have that you can speak the truth without fear of reprisal. The opposite of safety is fear.  People are fearful of speaking up because they believe they may be ridiculed or even fired. If people clam up and do not share what they are thinking it may cause dangerous ethical problems.  Leaders need to be informed when something they are advocating is borderline in terms of ethics.

Having a culture where people feel free to share their opinions also leads to more creativity and analytical thinking.

Trust is never absolute 

We may feel like we totally trust something to happen, but in real life, trust is never absolute. Trust is never totally present or totally absent in our interfaces.

The trust fall

You can imagine how the famous trust fall experiment would work if trust was absent.  In a trust fall, you have one person who is elevated lean backward until he falls over. The experiment works because the victim trusts that another person is there to catch him. The opposite of a trust fall is to refuse to lean backward at all.

Another result could be that the person falling back just falls to the floor and breaks his neck. In this case, the person falling expected to be caught by the other person, but his trust was violated.

The trust fall is a metaphor that has parallels in real life. Many times we are taking a risk with what we say or do. We expect the other person will be there to catch us before we hit the floor. 

Trust in financial transactions 

There are many situations with money where we show trust that another person is not going to abscond with the cash. The opposite of this aspect is to never let the cash out of your possession.  That action would make commerce very difficult. You would always need exact change to make any purchase.

There are financial transactions that end up being shared on social networks. You trusted that the information would be kept confidential, but that trust was violated.  

Another example

Stephen M.R. Covey described 13 Trust behaviors in his book The Speed of Trust. For each behavior, he identified the opposite and what he called the counterfeit behavior. For example, behavior 13 was “Extend Trust.”  He identified the opposite as withholding trust. The counterfeit was extending fake trust. It is acting like you trust someone but “snoopervising” or hovering over them.

Many managers today practice the counterfeit of extending trust, and that has led to the practice of quiet quitting.

Conclusion

I end with the thought that it is much easier to define what trust is than to identify what it is not. We experience trust numerous times every day and often do not even realize it.  Think about that next time you step on the brake pedal in your car.  You just have faith that the car will react properly and stop. You do not need to think about it. You trust the brakes. If you didn’t trust the brakes, your car would be in the shop.

Bob Whipple, MBA, CPTD, is a consultant, trainer, speaker, and author in the areas of leadership and trust.  He is the author of The Trust Factor: Advanced Leadership for Professionals, Understanding E-Body Language: Building Trust Online, and Leading with Trust is Like Sailing Downwind.  Bob has many years as a senior executive with a Fortune 500 Company and with non-profit organizations

 

 

 

 


Building Trust 101 Trust Dust

December 2, 2022

This morning I thought of a really strange analogy I call trust dust.  I want to compare and contrast the concept of building trust between people with dust. There are some ways trust and dust are similar and other ways they are opposites.

Similarities of trust and dust

Dust is always present in the air. Nearly all of the time we do not see it when it is airborne. If there would be a particularly large particle of dust, we might notice it. Also, if there was a very bright light in the room, we might see some floating particles. Normally we do not pay attention to dust until it lands. When it does land, we also usually ignore it until there are enough particles to see easily. Then we get a dust mop and pick up the pile. 

Trust is like that too. There are numerous ways we build trust with another person.  Most of these are not big enough to see consciously, but they are there nonetheless.  Once in a while, there may be a particularly large particle of trust.

For example, you might come in from vacation to support a fellow worker. That would be a large particle of trust that you can actually see. The circumstances might make it stand out so we see it clearly. 

The trust particles land next to other ones forming a kind of film. Here is where the analogy becomes the opposite.

We wipe out dust but covet the pile of trust

When the layer of dust becomes noticeable, we go get a cloth or mop and wipe it off the surface so it is clean. In the case of trust, we want the pile to become as thick as possible. We always seek to add to the pile of trust with people we know. Eventually, there may be some force that reduces the pile. For example, we may have forgotten a commitment we made to the other person.

The more trust we have on the surface, the more likely there will be some left after the force goes away.  At least that is the theory.

I like the idea of trust deposits being so insignificant by themselves that we hardly notice them until they build up into a film we can see.  That is when we have that special feeling toward the other person that becomes a bond we cherish.

Conclusion 

Picture the trust deposits you have with other people.  Look hard to see if you can see them building into a bond of trust between you. Let the other person know you are feeling the bond of trust and see if the person recognizes it too.  I think the more visible we make trust in our lives, the more benefit we can get from it.  

Bob Whipple, MBA, CPTD, is a consultant, trainer, speaker, and author in the areas of leadership and trust.  He is the author of The Trust Factor: Advanced Leadership for Professionals, Understanding E-Body Language: Building Trust Online, and Leading with Trust is Like Sailing Downwind.  Bob has many years as a senior executive with a Fortune 500 Company and with non-profit organizations

 

 

 

 


Building Higher Trust 100 Feed Your Team

November 25, 2022

If you are a leader, you will have better results if you feed your team. I mean that statement in both the literal and figurative sense. I will explore the impact in this article and give some tips for handling remote situations.

The importance of feeding your team 

I have observed that when a team meeting is accompanied by some food and drink the atmosphere is much more collegial and productive. When you bring in a box of doughnuts and a container of hot coffee, people respond and become more engaged in the topics being discussed.

Actually, any kind of food will work, but I would stay away from messy or awkward food presentations. Keep it to simple finger food and it will be less confusing or distracting. It will also be less expensive.

Food when your team is operating remotely 

You can indicate on the meeting notice that food is welcome at a remote meeting.  People are encouraged to bring a snack or coffee to the meeting.  For critical meetings, I have seen leaders actually have food items delivered to the homes of the team members. That gesture always makes a great impression. It is also a great way for the leader to show appreciation to the team members. I would stay away from sending out food coupons because they encourage people to leave home.

Figurative feeding 

The nourishment does not always have to be in the form of physical food. The leader can “feed” the team by providing information they would normally not receive. He or she can praise members who have gone above and beyond the call of duty.

Many teams have some kind of ritual near the start of meetings to share some good news or thank fellow team members. That habit provides some form of social engagement to set the tone at the start of the meeting. This form of feeding can be live when members are present or remote when working from home.

Two caveats

You can overdo the feeding of a team whether it be literal or figurative.  A little goes a long way with this technique.  You must avoid having the munching time eclipse the whole meeting agenda. The best approach I have found is to keep the nibbling activities to less than 10% of the meeting time.  That is enough for it to register and spread goodwill but not so much as to distract.

Also, keep away from alcohol unless the meeting is an after-hours affair with networking.

Conclusion

If you take the time to feed your people with physical or spiritual food they will be more engaged. It is a simple gesture that will pay off in goodwill and productivity. You can use it anytime, but avoid overusing the technique. Do not let it become a distraction.

 

 

Bob Whipple, MBA, CPTD, is a consultant, trainer, speaker, and author in the areas of leadership and trust.  He is the author of The Trust Factor: Advanced Leadership for Professionals, Understanding E-Body Language: Building Trust Online, and Leading with Trust is Like Sailing Downwind.  Bob has many years as a senior executive with a Fortune 500 Company and with non-profit organizations


Building Higher Trust 99 Trust and Your Dog

November 18, 2022

You may have heard a version of this point sometime before about your dog. I trust my dog to not make a mess on the rug, but I would not walk out of the kitchen and leave a hamburger on the table. This simple dichotomy demonstrates an important point about trust.

Trust is never absolute

Regardless of the relationship, there are always limits to the trust we have in other people or things.  We don’t think much about extreme conditions, because we rarely operate in the danger zone. For example, I do not trust a string to support my body as it dangles off the Empire State Building.  The stakes are too high, and the string looks kind of feeble to me.

There is a zone of conditions where we feel it is safe to trust. Outside that zone, trust becomes chancy.  If you don’t believe me, think of any person or thing that you have the utmost trust in.  Now let your mind wander to the edges of conditions that never occur in real life.  If they did happen, then you would be unable to trust under those circumstances.

What is an acceptable zone for your dog? 

You can train a dog to do lots of things, and the dog will obey almost always. If you get into a zone where instinct takes over, no amount of training is going to make the dog robust. The dog is going to do what a dog does. 

Let’s take another example and test it out.  I trust in the force of gravity. It has been my experience all my life. I understand that if I drop something it will go down and smash on the floor.  There is no doubt in my mind unless you put me in a spaceship. Then all of a sudden the rules have to change.  

Be alert for when you are reaching the limit

In an organization, we trust people all the time.  We know they understand the rules and abide by them faithfully. The boss trusts Linda to be at work on time at 8 a.m. every day. She is a dedicated worker who has an impeccable track record. But if Linda woke up this morning with a temperature of 107 degrees, you cannot trust her to get to work on time.  There is no mystery here.  She is as incapable of getting to work as if she had an accident on the highway.

Conclusion

We always need to think about the potential exceptional things that can cause someone to violate a trust.  Trust is not absolute under all conditions.

Bob Whipple, MBA, CPTD, is a consultant, trainer, speaker, and author in the areas of leadership and trust.  He is the author of The Trust Factor: Advanced Leadership for Professionals, Understanding E-Body Language: Building Trust Online, and Leading with Trust is Like Sailing Downwind.  Bob has many years as a senior executive with a Fortune 500 Company and with non-profit organizations