Confidence is an essential condition at the very basis of the concept of leadership. Without it, no project or team dynamic would be optimal. And in an ideal leadership concept, all of these concepts of confidence are linked: the leader must be a person of confidence, able to gain the confidence of others and help them develop their own self-confidence.
Since it is very difficult for anyone to accept that others may doubt their integrity, it is unfortunately common for employees to not trust their manager and this has a very damaging effect in terms of productivity.
So here are some ways for a leader to make sure his / her clients and colleagues have confidence in him / her!
1 – To be trustworthy is to be genuine
To gain the trust of employees, it is essential to be genuine, to be humble, to have the courage to be yourself, and to make yourself in some way vulnerable. Clients need to know that their leader is not a superhero, but human just like them.
The first thing to do to be real is to know yourself better!
2 – Trust requires being accountable and responsible
Admitting your mistakes and taking responsibility for them helps build the trust of team members. A manager who tends to run away or blame others will have a hard time being trustworthy.
A true leader will also know how to take responsibility for the mistakes of his team because he is responsible for them, he is accountable to his team otherwise he should perhaps not have the title of manager!
3 – Focus on the positive of each and every one
We all have strengths and weaknesses. To be trustworthy, it is essential for a manager to know how to capitalize on the talents of all, to find the optimal contribution of each.
It’s easy to trust someone who sees the positive in us and seeks our maximum contribution. Otherwise, the employee will be on the defensive and confidence is only possible when the defenses fall.
4 – verbalize your recognition
A trustworthy manager must know how to recognize the efforts and successes of their team members in front of their peers and superiors. Whoever wants to take all the credit for himself will never be trustworthy.
5 – Share information to gain the trust of its customers
What about those managers who keep information to better reign and control? What about those who use information as a reward, or to strengthen certain relationships to the exclusion of others?
Information useful for the good of all must be shared with all, in a spirit of promoting productivity, exchange and collaboration.
Some may not share out of discretion, lack of time or simply lack of judgment, but in any case, unintentionally. Whether you do it on purpose or not, sharing information is important in gaining the trust of others, otherwise team members may feel like you are hiding things!
Knowing how to inform is an essential skill for leadership because it promotes confidence, motivation and productivity.
6 – Gaining confidence also means saying the real things
Not only is it important not to lie to gain the trust of others but it is equally important to say the real things, to have the courage of your opinions, to say what needs to be said, at the right time, at the right time. right person and in the right way.
To say the real things is also not to embellish or darken reality too much, to look it in the face and share it with your team.
Many managers use fear for better control, or to supposedly motivate action. Know that fear is the primary enemy of trust and that without trust leadership will fail.
7 – Act according to your words
Trust is the result of a relationship, not the starting point. And know that it grows and builds itself over time!
How to develop it? By respecting its commitments and promises. If you say you are going to do anything, no matter how small, do it! If you never do it too infrequently, it is unlikely that you will gain confidence.
8- Who sows respect for confidentiality reaps the trust of others
To develop trust, it is essential for a manager to know how to keep confidential information transmitted to him by the members of his team.
That being said, if you are unsure whether you can keep the information entrusted to you confidential because it concerns team performance, ethics or legality, be transparent, let people know what you are doing. must share and explain your reasons.
Dealing with the music takes managerial courage, but it is essential.
In fact, the first thing you need to do to gain the trust of others is to know yourself better, to better understand your behaviors and those of others, and to understand trends in people’s personality traits.
Learn how to be a trustworthy leader by first understanding the complexity of yourself and those of those around you right now.
Trust me, it’s worth it!