Only eight percent of the employees surveyed in the Forum Global Leadership Pulse Survey had a high level of trust for their leaders.

34 percent say they trust their boss less today than they did before.

Five percent said they don’t trust their boss at all.

And the other 53 percent have varying levels of low trust.

I’m thinking that’s a whole lot of too little trust. How about you?

Individuals who feel that their leader has, or will, demonstrate care and consideration will reciprocate this sentiment in the form of desired behaviors. ~K.T. Dirks, professor

Gallup’s State of the Global Workforce reported that “a solid foundation of trust can lead to increased productivity, profitability and lower turnover.”

That’s a pretty compelling reason for leaders to want their employees to have more faith in them. 

7 ways to be a trusted leader

#1)  Communicate transparently. 

Show up, listen and speak without hidden agendas or ulterior motives. Lose the say-do gaps. Do what you say you’re going to. If that becomes impossible, explain why—ahead of time.

#2)  Leave spinning to spiders.

Don’t “spin” problems; solve them. Don’t “spin” meaning; just say it like it is.

#3)  Be good at your job.

Get the fundamentals down pat:  make good and timely decisions, plan and organize, assign and delegate work, manage good and bad performers, set the right priorities, and align resources. Bosses “need to know not just what to do and how to do it, but also how to get it done in the organization and the world where you work,” writes professor Linda Hill and author Kent Lineback.

In looking for people to hire, look for three qualities: integrity, intelligence, and energy. And if they don’t have the first one, the other two will kill you. ~Warren Buffett

#4)  Get comfortable managing paradox.

Leaders must manage both task and relationship, stability and innovation, quantity and quality, and on and on. There’s no choosing, get used to it.

#5)  Declare clearly and unambiguously what it is you want people to do. 

Define it. Share it. Close the communication loop to assure that what you communicated is what was heard. Tell’em when they’ve done well and when they’ve done poorly.

#6)  Play fair.

There’s no room in the workplace for favorites, special deals, mindless stereotypes, or bias.

#7)  Be a character, that is, a good one. 

Research tells us that perceptions of a leader’s characteristics, things like integrity, credibility and fairness, shape how employees will behave in the workplace.

Character is the indelible mark that determines the only true value of all people and all their work. ~Orison Sweet Marden

Character is power; it makes friends, draws patronage and support and opens the way to wealth, honor and happiness. ~J. Howe

Good character is more to be praised than outstanding talent. Most talents are to some extent a gift. Good character, by contrast, is not given to us. We have to build it piece by piece—by thought, choice, courage and determination. ~John Luther

While you, the leader, can teach many things, character is not taught easily to adults who arrive at your desk lacking it. Be cautious about taking on reclamation projects regardless of the talent they may possess. Have the courage to make character count among the qualities you seek in others. ~John Wooden

Ready to get started?

Image source before quote:  morgueFile.com