Can I trust you?

Would you be offended if anyone asked you that question – or even thought it?

It’s rare that people ask you outright but they’re thinking it.

Have you got my back? Will you do what you say you will? If I tell you something will I suffer as a result? Can I make a mistake and not have to cover it up through fear of the consequences? Can I admit I don’t know how to do something? Can I be vulnerable and still be okay? 

I guess we’d all like to think we are 100% trustworthy.

We all believe we do the right thing.

And we have integrity.

But despite our good intentions (which nobody can see) we often don’t create the environment of trust that we’d like to think we do.

We’re not bad people, we just have a blind spot somewhere!

We can all build greater trust (and psychological safety, while I’m at it) from the ground up - or whatever our starting point is.

It’s not rocket science.

But it’s crucial to our success as leaders.

It will take time and patience.

And it may mean some tough decisions.

And some new ways of doing things. 

It won’t work if you want a box ticking exercise. (A bit like those values that somebody thought was a good idea – but nobody has a clue what they are let alone lives them).

If you’d like to build more trust in your team and want some practical ways to make a start, then please get in touch.

P.S. It can feel tough when you're leading in lockdown and trying to figure out what to do for the best, manage your own resilience and care for your team. My Effortless Leader Facebook community is a great place for sharing, support and resources. Come and join us if you're not already there.