On the way to work today, I re-listened to a Speed of Trust podcast put on by Stephen M.R. Covey. Actually, I was able to run through a series of the Speed of Trust podcasts because each was only 5-10 minutes long.
Speed
The common thread was obviously trust, but most of the guests commented on the uniqueness of the concept of “speed” of trust. The concept that establishing trust early and quickly actually does speed up the ability to conduct business, reach performance outcomes and ultimately improve the bottom line.
Trust Bucket
One guest brought up the concept of the “trust bucket.” The trust bucket is the idea that we each have a “bucket” that we fill one drop at a time, but in an instant a leak, crack, or tip can immediately diminish the collective trust that took days, months or years to accumulate.
This becomes a powerful leadership trait to maintain and grow! It is a reminder that we must always be on our guard to ensure that our team members trust us to do well by them and support them in whatever circumstance and challenge.
Top-Down Leadership is Out
Another point I found interesting was a discussion about how trust has become even more vital in an age where top-down leadership no longer has the sway it once had in the business of doing business. When the magic wand of the “Director” title doesn’t trigger most employees to jump when the command is extended, influence must come in other ways. If there is a relationship of trust, there will be performance in this kind of environment. If no trust, the leader is powerless. Definitely motivation to remember that as a leader, we are really to serve, extend trust, and earn trust or ….quite honestly…nothing.will.get.done.
P.S. We had a Speed of Trust workshop at work a few years ago. Many of us thought it would be a cheesy set of role playing exercises, but everyone left feeling like they had experienced a powerful reminder of how our actions and interactions impact our trust every day. Highly recommend it!
