“He waka eke noa.”
“A canoe which we are all in with no exception.”
During my daily morning walk last week, the podcast that was on my mind was featuring the esteemed educational researcher, Michael Fullan. The crux of the conversation revolved around a single, potent word: Trust. This seemingly simple term carries far-reaching implications for both educational and corporate organizations.
A specific case that comes to mind is the leadership transformation at Microsoft under CEO Satya Nadella. When Nadella took the helm in 2014, he ushered in a culture of trust and inclusivity, pivoting from the organization’s previous competitive internal culture. This strategic shift bore fruitful results, revitalizing the tech giant’s innovation and market position.
Trust, as the podcast highlighted, plays a pivotal role in leadership. It’s the invisible adhesive binding teams and shaping the organizational fabric. However, trust is neither automatically granted nor easily maintained. It must be earned, nurtured, and consistently demonstrated. Indeed, a 2019 survey by HBR highlighted that nearly 58% of employees trust strangers more than their bosses, indicating the steep trust hill that leaders often need to climb.
In an organizational context, trust forms the lifeblood of enduring, effective relationships. Without trust, relationships neither last nor thrive. Consider the unfortunate case of the now-defunct Theranos, where a toxic culture of secrecy and distrust ultimately led to the company’s downfall.
Within teamwork, trust acts as a catalyst for efficient collaboration, fostering innovation, and boosting productivity. In Patrick Lencioni’s acclaimed book, “The Five Dysfunctions of a Team,” he places the absence of trust at the base of team dysfunction. This principle finds support in Google’s two-year-long study ‘Project Aristotle’ (2012-2014), which identified psychological safety, an outcome of trust, as a top factor in successful teams.
Building trust involves understanding its two primary types – cognitive and affective trust. Cognitive trust emerges from consistent demonstration of competence and reliability. For instance, when a leader consistently meets deadlines and communicates effectively, cognitive trust within the team grows. Leaders can foster this trust by setting clear expectations, maintaining transparency, and modeling reliability.
Affective trust, on the other hand, develops from emotional connections built over time. It requires a leader to show empathy, share experiences, and demonstrate vulnerability. One strategy leaders can employ is to facilitate team-building exercises and social events. These platforms encourage personal interaction and the sharing of experiences, enabling team members to connect on a deeper level.
While trust-building offers significant benefits, it’s not without its challenges. Leaders may fear appearing weak when showing vulnerability or may face resistance from team members unused to open communication styles. To overcome these barriers, leaders need to be patient and persistent, continually demonstrating their authenticity and commitment to their teams.
Moreover, leaders need to create a safe space where mistakes are seen as opportunities for learning, rather than failures. For example, Amy Edmondson’s 2018 study on psychological safety highlighted the idea of “failing forward.” Leaders should promote an environment where team members can take calculated risks, make mistakes, and collectively learn from them, thereby building a resilient, innovative team culture.
In conclusion, trust is the bedrock of robust, authentic leadership, essential to building collaborative, resilient teams. Embracing vulnerability, fostering transparency, and nurturing personal connections are key to this trust-building journey. By doing so, leaders not only strengthen their teams but also fortify their organizations’ success. Leaders, it’s time to embrace the magic of ‘Trust in Action’!
Reflection: How have you seen vulnerability demonstrated in your environment or by yourself? What potential challenges might you face in admitting vulnerability? Can you think of any practical steps to encourage your team to trust more?
O’Toole, James. (1995). Leading change: The argument for values-based leadership. Jossey-Bass.
Lencioni, Patrick. (2002). The Five Dysfunctions of a Team: A Leadership Fable. Jossey-Bass.
Covey, Stephen M.R. (2006). The Speed of Trust: The One Thing that Changes Everything. Free Press