Time is Up: Build your “Trust” factor!!

When the world is falling apart, the only glue that can save & hold mankind together is ‘Trust’

Leaders must learn how to function in environments filled with inconsistency and uncertainty. This becomes even more desperate in times of crisis management, for instance, do we protect the livelihoods of our employees? Should we allow salary cuts or furloughs to our best performers? The list being endless, leaves us with a thought, how can we build resilience during the so-called crisis?

The current crisis which has struck is sending the global economy into a downward spiral and prompting business leaders to talk of the need to accustom to a ‘new normal.’ Many leaders are acting as if things will be back to normal, back to how they once were. But they are not!

Trust is the nerve that ties all actions and thoughts in organizations. This becomes a keystone for building great personal relations, great teams, and great organizations. We presume organizations to deliver on their assurances through the behaviors they portray. The safety angle gets tightened through the relationship, which is further cemented using the ‘Trust’ factor built through commitment and integrity.

The conversation about any crisis or pandemic has never been easy; it creates a room full of distress, anxiety, and uncertainty of all kinds. The key challenge for leaders is to learn how to communicate, so people have a trust factor built, which would enable them to cope enthusiastically, and to decide the future from the world of uncertainty. Great leaders can create numerous ways to listen to feedback and use different vehicles to get their message across, which would lay the groundwork to build and develop trust. The ones which are candid and apparent have an opportunity to build loyalty and commitment by capitalizing on the trust factor and lead more commendably.

The current pandemic is a test of time and has been able to bring a thought in our mental model, which directly or indirectly has been a great mechanism for leaders of all kinds to learn and master a new capability call ‘Trust.’ A resilient leader has to drive their organization safely through the current crisis, and the ‘trust’ factor will be seen as serious as ever, as reclamation to a normal future without trust will be risky and uncertain. In order to cultivate trust among employees and to thrive in the long term, leaders must engineer / re-align factors or levers of trust.

All kinds of theories on leadership, again and again, have proved the fact that the existence of trust leads to impactful deliverables. An organization which marshals or facilitates this glue (*Trust) can sustain and thrive crisis always.

In times of crisis of the current kind, the ‘Trust’ factor becomes a pill to rescue employees and other stakeholders from bringing negative thoughts into their minds.

It is, therefore, now more important than ever to value and demonstrate trust, than any other gesture and infuse it in all that we do as leaders of building a brighter future. A leader who marshals trust will be able to build and drive a resilient workforce and a resilient organization that will always withstand the uncertain future.

Leaders cannot control the current crisis, which is beyond their sphere of influence, but they can surely reframe the problem perspective by building, developing, and demonstrating in whatever they behave and say. Leaders must instill their thoughts and actions across the organization with the below mentioned key levers.

Purpose — High octane reason for you or your organizational existence. This gives shapes to your vision and drives high-performance culture. Trust goes up when leaders exhibit an unbending focus towards the purpose.

Integrity — “Do what you Say/Commit,” sticking to what is committed. Your stakeholders, especially your workforce, would look up to you or measure your character using this yardstick. This lever is imperative as this will decide if you are reliable or honest. The so-called ‘integrity’ leads to ‘Dependability’ factor, which doesn’t come free but through highly refined thoughts aimed to meet and deliver the promised commitments. This is a discipline that requires a change in thought and behavior.

Commitment — “Never misunderstand this with integrity” — Commitment is a pledge to deliver the promise with the highest standards of quality.

Character — “The inner processor of your values” or your true north. If this tampers, you don’t have a second chance to build your ‘Trust’ factor. Authentic trust comes from the value architecture and should always ensure it’s free from noxious thoughts.

Competence — People love you for the competence and humbleness you bring to the table, so ensure that this self-asset is not misused at any cost. Competence comes from the constant experience and learning you carry. A competent mind always explores and is always curious to seek more and more. He is a great listener and is open to experiment and take certain and uncertain risks of all kinds.

So the model to master would be…

Being a trustworthy leader involves approaching your team and workforce using the above levers with excellent know-how and ‘single-minded determination.’ The above levers not only justify the company’s long term undertaking but also strengthen relationships in all spheres.

The above levers lead to the following questions to ponder for a leader.

Unfailingly asking these questions will help enable leaders and their organizations to acclimatize swiftly to the ever-changing aspirations of their team and workforce. This will also help them to broaden their perspectives to analyze PESTLE & SWOT forces better. Even as we enter recovery, we may not go back to normal. A return to normalcy will be a long-left dream which can surely be conquered. ‘Trust resilient’ leaders must be prepared to serve their stakeholders better and be ready to bring back ‘normalcy’ in their organization.

The most imperative item in the leaders’ menu during this crisis is the building of the “Trust” factor. Leaders should do this with great fortitude and strong skill powered by unfiltered communication. If done well, this methodology will not only shape the company’s prospective to grow but will also set the pillar or block to thrive and shape the future. The current crisis is a blessing in disguise to build “Trust” factor into the culture and to create a promise for the everlasting future of any organization.

This is a pure call to create a fully empowered ecosystem using the power processor called…“Trust” Factor.

By,

Aravind Warrier, Senior Human Resources Manager, RapidValue