Develop More Trust Within Your Relationships

First, ask yourself...
Would you like to see your relationships continue to strengthen over time?

Strong, trusting relationships are not simply created out of thin air. They take time, and they take work. If we desire to have the type of relationships where a strong, mutual level of trust is shared, then conscious effort must be made on our end to "build" the relationship in order to get it to that point.

Affirming is a technique that we (especially as leaders) can use to help strengthen our relationships. To affirm our relationship with someone means to consciously and proactively communicate to them any of the following: what they do well, what we like about them, why we respect them, the good work they do, etc.

When we affirm, we do it with sincere purpose and intent. It is much more than simply giving a compliment. It is indicating that we believe in them and truly value their relationship, and at the same time, indicating they should also do the same for us. The more we affirm our relationships with others, the stronger the relationship will get, which will allow for more trust to be built over time.

Build Trust With Employees

First, ask yourself...
Does the lack of trust you share with a co-worker ever decrease your ability to be effective?

Trust is one of the main foundations of any successful organization. Why? Because of the need for interdependence: other people, teams, and departments have an influence on how well we perform or the success we have in doing our job 100% right.

When considering trust, there are 3 components that contribute to the amount given and received:

Integrity - The individual acts in accordance with values/principles, and they can be counted on to keep their word (ex: Your employees arrive on-time to work when you are out of town at a conference and there is nobody watching)

Competence - The individual is fully capable of performing their roles and responsibilities well (ex: Your sales people are able to successfully compare your product/service to your competition's, which will help close the sale)

Compassion - The individual cares about the needs of others and is committed to contributing to the good of the team (ex: People volunteer to stay in during lunch to help another department finish a big project for an important customer which is due that same day)

Each of these components carries more important in different situations, but one fact remains constant: the lack of any one of these components will weaken the relationship, which will have an adverse effect on areas such as productivity, communication, service to the customer, efficiency, and teamwork- just to name a few!