Send to KindleEffective leadership relies on trust. A successful leader must develop the trust of workers, customers, and partners. Trust and leadership are inseparable.
The PR firm Edelman has released the 2014 Trust Barometer which has some valuable information for leaders. The barometer looks at various trust issues from more than 33,000 people in 27 countries. The report concerns trust, and the differences in trust, in government and business. It’s interesting to see that the public trusts business more than government by a wide margin and that trust in the media is declining.
The Barometer presents some nuggets leaders should consider. One is a list of actions that build trust. The number one action on that list is engagement; including listening and treating others with respect. Next is integrity; business ethics and taking responsibility for actions.
You probably learned these qualities in kindergarten, and yet they apparently still need to be mentioned.
Also in the study is a list of who people trust to provide information about a company. The highest rating went to technical and academic experts, then peers. Lowest on the list, though gaining an impressive 12% over 2009 are CEOs. How effective are you at establishing trust?
Finally, I was struck by a statistic concerning sources people trust for news about current events. Though elsewhere in the study, traditional media trust is declining, they are still the number one source for news but they’re tied with internet searches. That means if someone wants information about your company, someone like a prospective client or employee, they will most likely look on-line. What do you look like on-line?
Trust and leadership. Make the connection.
