Do you trust your team? Do they trust you? Is trust even relevant in your business? Trust is a funny concept. Is it a feeling? Or is it an action i.e. something you do?
All the textbooks describe it as a value, but if you don’t value trust then it’s not relevant. So why is it that at ‘team-building’ activities they do high-ropes and other physical activities requiring you not only to work together but to trust each other?
In business, trust is an essential. As the business owner, manager or leader you are trusting your employees and team members to do their job. There may be occasional checks to ensure work is done to standard and to provide required support, but generally you are trusting they will do the job.
Similarly they are trusting you to strategise, plan, execute, review. But do they get to check in on you? Feedback sessions following 360° methods can be one way to provide that opportunity.
There are many ways to build trust; one simple way is by sharing information. For example team members respond when information is shared about the strategic direction of the company, and understanding how they play a part in it. Public companies provide regular updates on the financial reports which can give employees a sense of job security or motivation to go the extra mile.
How do you build trust within your company?