When you think about the ways you can be a more effective leader, it’s important to factor in trust. When employees trust you, they will be willing to put forth the extra effort to support your goals. Lack of trust can fracture the cohesiveness of the entire group, and it can spread like wildfire. If one employee loses trust in you, they will talk about it with their peers, planting seeds of mistrust across the group. Use these strategies to build and maintain employee trust.
Be Ready To Put In The Work
Trust is earned over time and earning trust can take quite a long time. Employees need to see that you keep your commitments, communicate openly and that the actions you take align with the things that you say. Trust can take months or years to build, but only a moment to lose. Be prepared to put in a great deal of work to earn and keep employee trust.
Hold Yourself To The Standards You Set For Others
Employees will notice if you say one thing to them and then do another. Nothing is more frustrating than a person of authority taking a, “do as I say not as I do” approach. Hold yourself to the same standards of quality, punctuality, communication, accountability, and productivity that you hold your team to. It is one of the most effective ways to build and maintain trust.
Always Speak The Truth
It is very tempting to tell people what they want to hear rather than speaking to the reality of a situation. Tell your employees the truth, even when it’s difficult. However, it is important to be considerate and supportive, as well. It helps to bookend a harsh truth with positive statements to soften the landing. Be supportive and understanding, even when an employee makes a mistake or experiences a failure.
Know When to Listen
Everyone deserves to be heard. If you aren’t open to feedback from employees if you talk more than you listen if you talk “at” them rather than “to” them in a two-way fashion, trust will be damaged. Focus on creating dialogues rather than lecturing and always let them ask questions, get answers and clarify when needed.
Hire Great People
When you make a bad hire, employees will question your judgment and trust will be eroded. You want to make sure you’re hiring engaged, high-performers who add value to the team. If you are seeking sales and marketing talent for your ag business, contact the expert agriculture recruiters at Morris Bixby today.