In some ways you can trust everyone. True or not true? I trust that whoever shops at the same store(s) I do will get the same prices I pay. I trust that my children will graduate from high school. I trust a person's capabilities. But, is anyone trustworthy in everything? Not so much. I may be a man of integrity but does that mean I have no weaknesses or short comings? Can you trust me in every situation or circumstance? Do human beings suffer from pride, jealousy, anger, hatred, envy, biting off more than one can chew, talking about a subject you really don't know anything about, motivations and intentions are not always pure, and cheating is rampant among students in school. Needless to say we all fall short of perfection and trust in at least one area of life. With that said it doesn't mean we can't build trust with one another.
There is a link between trusting in company leadership and company performance. As trust increases business performance rises. Stephen Covey equates trust to taxes and dividends. For example; the 80% tax is a place where trust is non-existent in the organization. Hear are the signs of a company culture where trust does not exist:
Dysfunctional environment and toxic culture
Intense micromanagement
Redundant Hierarchy
Punishing systems and structures
How this 80% tax affects personal relationships:
Dysfunctional Relationships
Hot, angry confrontations or cold, bitter withdrawal
Defensive posturing and legal positioning
Labeling of others as enemies or allies
Verbal, emotional, and/or physical abuse
Anyone invested in dividend stocks likes to receive dividend checks. That's why you invest in them because you want a pay back. You want to see your investments grow and produce an abundance of profit. That is what everyone should want in relationships too. Building and investing in relationships at work matters not only to the workforce but also to the "dividends" the company can produce. In this case I am talking about quality, reduced relational tension, increased task tension, production, efficiencies, and profitability. If you work in a company culture that produces as Covey would say, a 20% dividend (Trust is a Visible Asset) your organization will be:
Focused on work
Effective collaboration and execution
Positive partnering relationships with employees and stakeholders
Helpful systems and structures
Strong creativity and innovation
That same 20% dividend will produce the following in your personal relationships:
Cooperative, close, vibrant relationships
A focus on looking for and leveraging one another's strengths
Uplifting and positive communication
Mistakes seen as learning opportunities and quickly forgiven
Positive energy and positive people
Trust is the foundation to anything good and healthy. This does not mean teams are to push for consensus. This would be an attempt to make sure all people are winners. Nothing could be further from the truth. It is in your consistency that people will be able to trust you, your systems, and your motives. You may think because everyone is humming along well that trust is high. Don't be fooled. Fabricated harmony is a byproduct that the team, the workforce, the leaders don't trust one another. Make sure all people are really heard. It isn't as much about them getting what they think they want as much as they believe you truly are listening to them. Before you can receive buy-in you must have a culture where people are allowed to step up on the "scale of input" to weigh their opinion to the leaders and/or the greater group (workforce).
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