Creating a culture of trust

Tonight, I facilitated a panel of C level executives discussing all things leadership. During the panel I asked, “How do you create a culture of trust?”

The perspectives that were shared by the panelist were thought provoking, insightful and motivating.

After the event I took a walk to think about how I create a culture of trust, particularly as my business, Sparrowly Group grows into its next phase:

Listen – It’s easy to get caught up in the day to day and have conversations on the run or be distracted with the 100 other things you need to get done when you should be listening.

Stopping and really listening to the other person builds trust. It shows that you care about what they have to say. When we listen, it makes us more approachable. Employees believe we are open-minded and that not only do we hear them, but also we understand them.

Recognition – It’s so important that recognition is given for the small and the large things.  By acknowledging their work or idea sincerely and articulating why this was a positive, makes others feel that their contribution is meaningful and that you trust them to deliver for your business.

Transparency – A key factor in the success of a business. People want to work for businesses where information – goals, progress and even the challenges are proactively shared. A leader, who can exercise transparency to their team and provide visibility, helps break down barriers and can improve productivity (in that there is less time sensationalisng about what might be going on and rather, being clear on what’s happening and how it affects them so that they can focus on their role and how they can make an impact).

Freedom – A lack of can create a culture of fear. Clear articulation of what is expected but the bandwidth to determine the path to achieve these goals is so important in creating a culture of trust.

We all make mistakes, and when we do, we need to be vulnerable to say so (we are human after all). Giving your team the freedom to explore, to test and learn with your support and guidance will not only motivate them, it will encourage their creativity and innovation.

And as I prepare for the day ahead facilitating a leadership workshop, I reflect back on the last couple of months preparing for this and am so thankful for the trust and freedom given by my client on this project and look forward to building a strong culture of trust within Sparrowly Group.