In Stephen Covey's great book, "The Seven Habits of Highly Effective People", he talks about the 'emotional bank account', where you have to build a credit in your relationship with the individuals who you work with (and everyone else as well!).
If what you do isn't 'trustworthy', then all you have done in your gentle listening and asking great and interested questions to build, is to 'debit' your account. And if you do more of this than the credit you build, then you will never get your folks on your side. But what is trust?
You can't invest more wisely than by listening fully to what interests the person you are in conversation with. So, ask more questions about what they tell you. Easy as that - it's a simple tool, but really builds trust too.
Here are a few other things which generate their trust in you:-
Sounds simple, yet often it is done without thinking. On busy days what you say does get taken in, yet you forget. Don't! People hang on what you say - so it must be the truth!
A biggy this. What you say holds a far greater importance to the person you say it to than maybe you, who say so much stuff all day long. If you say you will do something for someone, then do it - or don't say you will.
And separate from promises. Actions. Your people look on you to facilitate their delivery of the business. You can smooth things out, make things happen, provide resources. So if you say you are going to fix things, then please do it! Hey, even more, do a little more!
When you are talking with your people make sure you give them full attention and the courtesy of enough time. Put them first not second (or even third). Switch your phone or pager off. Put off other interruptions.
By ensuring that you treat all of your people the same, you will build their trust hugely. It is a sense of sharing and caring that comes from everyone, even you, being equal in an emotional sense, so building a common bond.
You need to be disciplined enough that you have no closer 'friends' than everyone. If you treat some people more 'equally' than others, it sure gets noticed, creates divisions and loses that pulling together which you need.
Your folks get twitchy if you are erratic in your behaviour and attitudes. By modifying your behaviours to be consistent (and if you aren't have someone tell you).
And in the thing about consistency and fairness and no favourites, remember you. You cannot be different. You cannot afford to behave in a way that shows favouritism to yourself.
Your people who you want onside need to be nurtured and cared for. Encouraged and engaged. It needs you to be able to relieve their fear of getting things wrong. Your people can make mistakes. It's OK! Then you will get them experimenting and trying stuff - all of which will be generating great solutions. Let them!
People always have things which are important to them - and it isn't always their work! So find out what it is and honour that - it builds their trust in you, because you value them.
If you have issues or problems with people, be honest with them and let them know. It's about what they do and not about them as people - but be honest enough to work with them and not talk about them behind their back
Your people try their best - by acknowledging them for this, they will trust you more and more.
Building trust is not only the most valuable thing that you can do with your people, but it is the most important thing that you must do.
© 2005 Martin Haworth is a Business and Management Coach. He works worldwide, mainly by phone, with small business owners, executives and corporate leaders. He has hundreds of hints, tips and ideas at his website, http://www.coaching-businesses-to-success.com
a>. (Note to editors. Feel free to use this article, wherever you think it might be of value - it would be good if you could include a live link)
...helping you, to help your people, to help your business grow...
Here's a brief story I encountered while leaving Newark International... Read More
There are so many ways to jump start your prifits... Read More
"Nothing great was ever achieved without enthusiasm." Ralph Waldo EmersonI'm... Read More
I recently received a most interesting phone call.When I answered... Read More
Managers should avoid the tendency to constantly delegate to the... Read More
We all see it . . . business markets are... Read More
This module focuses on the basics of Knowledge Mapping, its... Read More
What behaviour maximises the chances of thinking of great ideas?... Read More
How do you select staff for international assignments? It's an... Read More
One of the biggest challenges any business owner or manager... Read More
Creativity can be defined as problem identification and idea generation... Read More
Stop hiring new administrative support staff. And learn how to... Read More
You're on your organization's diversity committee. You have the best... Read More
Creativity can be defined as problem identification and idea generation... Read More
Sometimes, I harbour a suspicion that Dante was a Financial... Read More
As an entrepreneur, hiring an expert can be one of... Read More
Q: One of my former employees has launched an online... Read More
The time will come when you'll need to interview someone... Read More
Ineffective communication is a major, yet avoidable, obstacle to business... Read More
Last month I talked about the Skilled Facilitator principle of... Read More
Lynn was tapped to head up the project team for... Read More
Is building your own inventory management solution really your best... Read More
I suspect all of you out there have someone that... Read More
For small business owners, an enthusiastic vision for smooth, steady... Read More
The meeting started like a hundred others before. There were... Read More
The following nursing home collections report outlines 11 guidelines you... Read More
It is a common business axiom ? change or die.... Read More
This article relates to the Senior/Top Level management of an... Read More
There are seven essential elements to successful business communication:StructureClarityConsistencyMediumRelevancyPrimacy/RecencyPsychological Rule... Read More
Recent studies have shown that industrial supervisors are working at... Read More
I'm often asked to come in to organizations and give... Read More
Q: How much do I have to worry about what... Read More
The other day one of our overseas clients called in... Read More
An operations manual can act as a tool for training... Read More
Is your online business disaster-proof? Online businesses face a unique... Read More
"? [get] the right people on the bus, the right... Read More
Few Decision makers see the link between between creativity and... Read More
Kinds of Workplace ConflictsLet's start by identifying where conflicts happen.... Read More
If you're not satfied with the results of your management... Read More
Business IntelligenceBusiness Intelligence has become a very important activity in... Read More
We know character when we see it, but what exactly... Read More
You know the drill - the ridiculous deadlines, the relentless... Read More
Stop hiring new administrative support staff. And learn how to... Read More
Recent studies have shown that industrial supervisors are working at... Read More
This article relates to the Job Security competency, commonly evaluated... Read More
Here's a productivity tip that will save you a lot... Read More
Sometimes, I harbour a suspicion that Dante was a Financial... Read More
Does this sound familiar? You were hired for the new... Read More
Creativity can be defined as problem identification and idea generation... Read More
Keeping and Motivating the Best Employees ... Read More
In our fast paced work culture, manned by technology savvy... Read More
You've had many years of training in your craft as... Read More
With client expectations higher than ever before, and the gradual... Read More
A lone ranger is someone who prefers working in solitude... Read More
1. Let people know what you expect. If people know... Read More
We have all attended meetings that were boring, mindless and... Read More
Hiring someone new to work in your business is one... Read More
It's hard to believe the year will be half over... Read More
Implementing an ISO 9001 system represents a major effort. However,... Read More
In September 2004, President Bush signed the $146 billion tax... Read More
The goal of perfection is a challenge. It is often... Read More
I have a sign on my office door. It pretty... Read More
It has been well documented that employees' productivity and job... Read More
Project heroes. We've all heard of them. Some of us... Read More
If one does not understand a person, one tends to... Read More
One of the greatest time wasters of all are unnecessary... Read More
Business Management |