The world is in desperate need for a new kind of leadership.
The type of leadership we’ve seen the last several decades
has produced record low levels of trust and engagement in
the workforce, so clearly what we’ve been doing isn’t
working. We need a leadership philosophy grounded in the
knowledge and belief that the most successful leaders and
organizations are those that place an emphasis on leading
with trust.
A critical step for leaders and organizations to take to
realize the benefits of high levels of trust is to establish a
common definition and framework of how to build trust. Most people think trust “just
happens” in relationships. That’s a misconception. Trust is built through the intentional
use of specific behaviors that, when repeated over time, create the condition of trust. Oddly
enough, most leaders don’t think about trust until it’s broken. No one likes to think of
himself or herself as untrustworthy so we take it for granted that other people trust us. To
further complicate matters, trust is based on perceptions, so each of us has a different idea
of what trust looks like. Organizations need a common framework and language that
defines trust and allows people to discuss trust-related issues.
Research has shown that trust is comprised of four basic elements. To represent those four
elements, or the “language” of trust, The Ken Blanchard Companies created the ABCD Trust
Model—Able, Believable, Connected, and Dependable. For leaders to be successful in
developing high-trust relationships and cultures, they need to focus on using behaviors
that align with the ABCDs of trust.
Leaders build trust when they are:
Able—Being Able is about demonstrating competence. One way leaders demonstrate their
competence is having the expertise needed to do their jobs. Expertise comes from
possessing the right skills, education, or credentials that establish credibility with others.
Leaders also demonstrate their competence through achieving results. Consistently
achieving goals and having a track record of success builds trust with others and inspires
confidence in your ability. Able leaders are also skilled at facilitating work getting done in
the organization. They develop credible project plans, systems, and processes that help team
members accomplish their goals.
Believable —A Believable leader acts with integrity. Dealing with people in an honest fashion
by keeping promises, not lying or stretching the truth, and not gossiping are ways to
demonstrate integrity. Believable leaders also have a clear set of values that have been
articulated to their direct reports and they behave consistently with those values—they
walk the talk. Finally, treating people fairly and equitably are key components to being a
believable leader. Being fair doesn’t necessarily mean treating people the same in all
circumstances, but it does mean that people are treated appropriately and justly based on
their own unique situation.
Connected —Connected leaders show care and concern for people, which builds trust and
helps to create an engaging work environment. Research by The Ken Blanchard Companies
has identified “connectedness with leader” and “connectedness with colleague” as 2 of the
12 key factors involved in creating employee work passion, and trust is a necessary
ingredient in those relationships. Leaders create a sense of connectedness by openly
sharing information about themselves and the organization and trusting employees to use
that information responsibly. Leaders also build trust by having a “people first” mentality
and building rapport with those they lead. Taking an interest in people as individuals and
not just as nameless workers shows that leaders value and respect their team members.
Recognition is a vital component of being a connected leader, and praising and rewarding
the contributions of people and their work builds trust and goodwill.
Dependable —Being Dependable and maintaining reliability is the fourth element of trust.
One of the quickest ways to erode trust is by not following through on commitments.
Conversely, leaders who do what they say they’re going to do earn a reputation as being
consistent and trustworthy. Maintaining reliability requires leaders to be organized in such
a way that they are able to follow through on commitments, be on time for appointments
and meetings, and get back to people in a timely fashion. Dependable leaders also hold
themselves and others accountable for following through on commitments and taking
responsibility for the outcomes of their work.
