Building Trust and Confidence in Senior Leadership

Attracting and retaining top talent continues to be a struggle for many employers, perhaps because they underestimate the value of building a sense of trust and confidence among their employees.

Instilling a sense of trust and confidence in senior leadership is key to protecting the organization’s reputation and bottom line. Employees who do not trust or respect senior leaders are less likely to be engaged and productive and are more likely to seek employment elsewhere, leading to burnout for other staff, as well as costs related to turnover.

Good leaders know that respect and trust do not come automatically and must be earned over time. These suggestions may help to attain the trust and confidence senior leaders are seeking among their employees:

• Demonstrate competence—Leaders must be competent and successful at their jobs. Nothing builds distrust quicker than if employees believe someone is unqualified for a leadership role.
• Show passion—Leaders should be passionate about the work that they do, and that passion needs to be sincere. Often senior leaders make the mistake of attempting to be a cheerleader, or they provide faux compliments or enthusiasm when the goal should be to inspire others by leading.
• Be a great listener—Successful leaders promote open communication so employees feel comfortable talking to you about whatever issues may arise. It’s important for employees to feel like their voices are being heard and their feedback is valued.
• Say thank you—There’s nothing worse than a boss who takes credit for others’ hard work. Thank your employees for the work that they do every day, and make sure your gratitude is genuine.
• Challenge your employees—Make sure employees have room to flourish and encourage them to take on new opportunities within your organization. Employees will appreciate working for someone who cares about their professional growth.
• Do not micromanage—If you believe in your employees enough to hire them, trust them to do their jobs, and avoid micromanaging them. Trust is a two-way street.
• Be transparent—Keep your employees apprised of company goals and performance expectations. Ambiguity builds distrust, so be as transparent and honest as possible.
• Communicate regularly—Take the time to connect with your employees. Do not underestimate the power of one-on-one meetings and face-to-face interactions. Gather your teams together regularly to keep them in the loop and encourage open communication.
• Lead by example—Model the behavior you wish to see in your employees. Be credible and fair. Encourage teamwork and collaboration across departments and attend management meetings and team-building events.
• Be consistent—Consistency builds trust. Be true to your word, be accountable for your actions, and uphold all your commitments.

Senior leaders who promote trust and confidence reap many benefits including loyalty, greater engagement, productivity, and a sense of belonging, resulting in job satisfaction and a culture of mutual respect and honesty.

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