Leadership Tip

How smart leaders win trust

Leaders have been trained to hide vulnerabilities, to minimise risk, and to be consistent, level-headed, and in complete control at all times. But it’s impossible to trust someone who is always rational, serious, and in control.

  1. If you want to win trust from your employees, colleagues, and bosses, you need to have the courage to present yourself as a more complex being. This means becoming comfortable with expressing doubt.
     
  2. Smart leaders know there is more than one right answer, and so even after they commit to a decision, they’re not afraid to revisit and change course if necessary. You should adopt the “strong opinions, weakly held” mantra, especially when trying to navigate complex and uncertain situations.
     
  3. Don’t focus so much on always being the visionary; instead, try to be more human. Express doubt, ask for contrarian options, and be willing to change your mind, several times if necessary.

The above leadership tip...
was sent in response to a question from a participant on our acclaimed 10/10 leadership development and mentoring programme and adapted from Leaders Win Trust When They Show a Bit of Humanity by Tim Leberecht. Whether you're a first time manager or an experienced leader, straightforward, practical advice on best practice is hard to find. Until now. To find out how you, your team or your organisation can benefit, please join us on our next complimentary webinar or contact us.


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