Is There Trust?
This month’s blog is around Trust. What does it really mean? Who around you builds trust? Do you inspire it? Do you have trust in the team you lead or are part of?
Posted in Leadership
Trust has come up in the last few weeks as a question from a group of young leaders I’ve been coaching. It’s often something we instinctively know. Often we can’t specifically identify why we trust one person yet we don’t trust someone else.
It reminded me of the great equation from ‘The trusted advisor’ by Maister, Green, Galford.
I haven’t found anything better and for those more left-brained people who like to see something specific rather than a ‘felt’ sense, it’s tangible.
Your trustworthiness is built on your:
Credibility – have you done this before? What’s your experience?
Reliability – do you do what you say you’re going to do?
Intimacy – how open and honest are you? Do you share personally?
Self-Orientation or as I prefer to think of it Self-interest – do you take actions for yourself?
You can see how by altering any of those variables your own trustworthiness can go up & down.
For teams, the model that I love is Lencioni’s from 'Five Dysfunctions of a Team'. For an effective team there is a need for Trust as a foundation for all the others to build on. Based on Lencioni’s model, if a team doesn’t have Trust then healthy Conflict can’t happen, there is a lack of Commitment, less Accountability and less attention to Results.
As in the following diagram & following the pyramid up, if there is a lack of trust then there is likely artificial harmony, ambiguity, lower standards with more ego and status.
Reliability – do you do what you say you’re going to do?
Intimacy – how open and honest are you? Do you share personally?
Self-Orientation or as I prefer to think of it Self-interest – do you take actions for yourself?
You can see how by altering any of those variables your own trustworthiness can go up & down.
For teams, the model that I love is Lencioni’s from 'Five Dysfunctions of a Team'. For an effective team there is a need for Trust as a foundation for all the others to build on. Based on Lencioni’s model, if a team doesn’t have Trust then healthy Conflict can’t happen, there is a lack of Commitment, less Accountability and less attention to Results.
As in the following diagram & following the pyramid up, if there is a lack of trust then there is likely artificial harmony, ambiguity, lower standards with more ego and status.
If you haven’t read Patrick Lencioni’s ‘The 5 dysfunctions of a team’ – I’d highly recommend. It’s written as a fable so is an easy read! A day over the weekend – you’ll have done it!
As he states members of trusting teams:
- Admit weaknesses and mistakes
- Ask for help
- Accept questions and input about their areas of responsibility
- Give one another the benefit of the doubt before arriving at a negative conclusion
- Take risks in offering feedback and assistance
- Appreciate and tap into one another’s’ skills and experiences
- Focus time and energy on important issues not politics
- Offer and accept apologies without hesitation
- Look forward to meetings and other opportunities to work as a group
I’m sure you can see teams that have operated like this and perhaps others that haven’t!
If you would like to explore building more Trust as a leader, please get in touch.
Please feel free to share this blog if it’s been a useful read.
Events
Next year’s Body, Mind, Soul Spring Weekend Retreat is Friday May 17th – May 19th 2019.
To book your place contact me at Claire@cpcoaching.co.uk.
Sample feedback from 2018 retreat attendees:
‘A unique experience, spiritual and restorative retreat supporting the body, soul & mind’ – Nicola, May 2018
‘I gained so many things, space to think, breather etc. Reconnect to me. Development of intentions, connection to others. Thank you’ - E. Williams June 2017
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Claire
Claire Palmer is a highly experienced and accredited executive and career coach, coach supervisor and mentor, and the founder of Claire Palmer Coaching. For over 18 years she has been coaching clients through transformational change whether personal or professionally. She works in the UK and internationally, both face to face and over the phone. She is a Master Certified Coach with the International Coach Federation (ICF).
Claire Palmer is a highly experienced and accredited executive and career coach, coach supervisor and mentor, and the founder of Claire Palmer Coaching. For over 18 years she has been coaching clients through transformational change whether personal or professionally. She works in the UK and internationally, both face to face and over the phone. She is a Master Certified Coach with the International Coach Federation (ICF).
About Claire
Claire is a highly experienced and accredited executive coach and career coach, passionate about helping people with their career, work, life – and being as fulfilled and successful as possible.
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