Win the trust of your employees

When Anthony Weiner recently resigned, he became just another political figure who had to step down from a leadership position after demonstrating toxic behavior. It seems that every year there is some sort of scandal involving politicians, which is why many Americans view elected officials as untrustworthy and unethical.

Trust is hard to establish and easy to lose. And since so many politicians have abused their power, many people don’t trust them. Unfortunately, this also can apply to the business community.

More often than not, employees have been disappointed at some point in their careers by a manager or leader. Chances are due to the bad behavior of previous bosses, employees may be cautious with how much they are willing to trust you.

This is why nine out of ten leaders are in “negative trust territory” before they make their first request of an employee to do something, according to Jon Hamm, author of Unusually Excellent: The Necessary Nine Skills Required for the Practice of Great Leadership. That’s right, even before you speak, your employees may already be questioning your honesty.

But you simply can’t afford to lose your employees’ trust. After all, your success in inspiring others to lead depend largely upon whether or not you are a person who is perceived as trustworthy and of high integrity.

You will suffer mishaps as a leader, but keep in mind that small deviations from complete honesty and integrity are often magnified and remembered for a long time.

So make the effort to be the leader that demonstrates a commitment to honesty and fairness. Here are some other development tips to keep in mind:

· Do not promise or commit (including to deadlines) unless you will be able to honor the commitment. Consistently follow through on commitments.

· Avoid doing things you would be uncomfortable hearing about on a national news program.

· If you have lost trust and do not know what you did, ask. Listen carefully to what is said, without arguing or trying to defend yourself. After you fully understand what you did that came across in a way you did not intend, you can begin to develop a strategy to make it right.

· Don’t give tough messages or express negative emotions via e-mail or voice mail.

· Make sure your message is consistent. Avoid saying different things to different audiences.

· Don’t promise confidentiality if you aren’t certain you can or should keep the information private.

Remember, if employees don’t have trust in you, they won’t follow you.

What tips do you have for gaining the trust of employees?

Managers need to develop organizational sensitivity

Betsy dislikes her coworker, Jon.

One day in the office, Betsy whispers to another coworker that she thinks Jon is weird and standoffish.

Jon overhears the conversation and is surprised to find out Betsy feels that way about him. He doesn’t know how to react so he just stays silent.

However, he can’t shake off that comment and begins to feel uncomfortable at work. His productivity at the company starts to decline, even though he was typically a top performer.

Maryanne is Jon’s manager and she notices his work is slipping and he’s quieter than usual. She’s been meaning to talk with him about it, but been too busy to schedule a sit down talk with him. 

After feeling increasingly more dissatisfied at work, Jon starts sending out his resume to other companies. He eventually gets a job offer, and leaves the company.

Betsy is happy, but Maryanne is distraught, confused, and now has to go through the process to hire someone to replace him.

If Maryanne had taken the time to find out what was bugging John, she might have been able to keep a top performer.

Productivity suffers in workplaces characterized by criticism, gossip, and a lack of teamwork, according to a new Right Management poll of 1,404 HR professionals and senior business leaders.

The survey find that 61 percent of organizations suffer from negative behaviors that, in turn, makes employees struggle to focus on their work, with 36 percent saying negativity sometimes impacts productivity. Only 3 percent say their employees are staying positive and not affected by negativity.

If negativity catches hold in an organization, it can become contagious. This negativity emerges itself in sarcastic remarks, lack of productivity, and other behaviors. And it is hard to stay motivated in that kind of work environment. 

You don’t want this negativity to result in turnover, so it is crucial for managers to be aware of what is going on within their group or organization. Managers can’t afford to turn a blind eye toward internal politics and complex interpersonal issues. 

And while the reality is that not everyone will like one another, the manager needs to ensure that everyone at least respects one another and finds a way to work as a team.

This is why organizational sensitivity is a key managerial trait. Here are a few ways to develop it:

• When people seem to be experiencing low morale or having difficulty, talk with them to find out what is going on. Sometimes people will not want to say much, but they will appreciate that you noticed and showed concern.
• Identify and prioritize longstanding or unresolved conflicts within your team. Develop a strategy to address them. People may welcome the opportunity to talk openly about issues that have been simmering and will have excellent ideas for solving them.
• Notice if there are things in the work environment that you can change. Not all problems require financial or upper-management solutions; many can be resolved through addressing them creatively.
• Ask your employees what you can do to be a better leader or a better boss for them. Implement some of their recommendations to show that you take their input seriously.

What are your thoughts about this? How do you handle workplace gossip?

Why leaders should keep a work diary

Many leaders operate on the belief they know everything there is to know about their role, company, industry, etc. But in many cases the opposite is true.

Whether leaders acknowledge their own weaknesses or not, everyone else sees them. Instead of trying to deny any exist; it is more beneficial for leaders to take responsibility for what they don’t know. In other words, leaders need to become self-aware.

There are many definitions of self-awareness but generally speaking it is how conscious you are of what you excel at, while at the same time acknowledging the fact you still need to grow. In some cases, self-awareness is often incorporated with emotional intelligence, the self-perceived ability to identify, assess, and control the emotions of oneself, of others, and of groups.

One great way to develop self-awareness is to simply keep a diary. Keep in mind diaries are not just reserved for teenage girls expressing feelings about their latest crushes. Many great leaders and innovative thinkers were avid diary writers such as World War II General George Patton, John Adams, and Andy Warhol.

A diary provides a place for people to vent frustrations, work through emotions, and grants the ability to look into the past and remember certain things that may have been forgotten. Diaries can provide an avenue for one to gain perspective, which makes sense why it could help leaders become self-aware.

I’m not saying that once you start keeping a diary you will automatically become self-aware and gain emotional intelligence, but it can aid your journey.

You can use the work diary to write about specific outcomes, shortcomings, and achievements. It can provide a snapshot of the best and worst moments of the workday, which can also help you plan for the future.

No matter your preference for composing the work diary, either on the computer or with a notebook and pen, make sure you keep it private. Whether you use the diary to reveal frustrations or just to maintain a log of your daily activities and meetings, it shouldn’t be shared with anyone else.

Okay, I do understand as a leader you're under a lot of pressure and never seem to have enough time. However, maintaining a work diary does not have to be a long, in-depth process – just commit a small amount of time to compose your thoughts. Even 10 minutes a day of reflection can help slow you down and get reconnected.

What are you waiting for? Start writing.

A leadership lesson from Spider-Man. Yes, Spider-Man.

Few superheroes captivate audiences the way Spider-Man does. Sure, he is a superhero that can cling to walls and fight with superhuman strength. But many people say they like Spider-Man more than other superheroes because in the end he’s just Peter Parker, an average guy with everyday issues such as girl troubles and job worries.

The often quoted theme of the Spider-Man comics and movies comes from Peter Parker’s Uncle Ben, “With great power, comes great responsibility.”



Even though the quote originated in the comic book world, it still rings true to all leaders in every aspect of work. After all, being a leader requires a great sense of responsibility.

Just as Spider-Man is responsible for protecting the city, business leaders must be responsible for those they lead. Leaders need to use their authority to positively impact those who are under their leadership.

It is a leader’s job to think of the bottom line and make sure that the business objectives are met quickly and effectively. Leaders must motivate employees and provide them with the tools they need to accomplish their tasks effectively.

As much as the leader is responsible for the team’s success, the leader is also responsible for any failures. Leaders should take responsibility if the team fails to meet its goals. The leader should not shift the blame to subordinates, but ensure that team members learn from the mistakes so that the errors will not be repeated.

Well, no one said it was easy being a leader.

Let’s go back to our Spider-Man reference. The entire city looks up to Spider-Man as a hero and a leader. Still, there are couple incidents where Parker becomes obsessed and irresponsible with his own power. This behavior proves disastrous for both Parker and the city. When Parker truly accepts his superhero responsibilities, he helps make the city a safer place for all the citizens.

True leaders understand the responsibilities that come with the job. And that’s the bottom line.

An Age Old Issue: The Aging Leader

The Washington Post’s leadership website recently posed a question:

When he died [earlier this summer], Robert Byrd, who was a frail 92, had represented West Virginia in the Senate for more than 50 years. Is it generally a good idea for top leaders in any sector to serve that long, or that late in life? Given the common instinct to hang on, should limits be imposed?

Thinking about this definitely creates a tough inner dialogue.  For some leaders, their lifetime of experience makes them worth their weight in gold.  They also deserve respect for the time they have dedicated to the organization and the insight they provide. Previously weathering an organization’s ups and downs offers reassurance to younger, less experienced workers who may doubt job security or who are unsure of the future.  Older and more experienced team members can also offer counseling in times of stress, direction when there is none, or reassurance that no matter what happens in the office, life will go on. 

On the other hand, keeping a “lame duck” leader doesn’t benefit anyone.  Especially old or frail leaders may be easily manipulated, or they may be unable to handle the tasks assigned to them, leading to resentment and inner-office turmoil.  They may be unable to actually lead their subordinates, who may feel lost or forgotten by their superiors.  Without a leader, the organization will become less and less productive and innovative.
George Washington addressed this situation when he declined a third term in office, favoring new blood instead of a constant single leader.  Granted, most organizations are not under the sort of peril the young United States was during this time, but ushering in a new set of eyes, ideas, and talents can benefit an organization.  What would George say about the late Sen. Robert Byrd? Would he disapprove of such a long term, or would the circumstances call for a different evaluation where length could be beneficial?

The pros and cons of an “aging leader” leave us with one slightly uncomfortable option:  Leaders must be evaluated on an individual basis.  In this evaluation, they must be compared to the same standard as all other employees. This allows those still-functioning leaders to continue their work, while ensures that those who may be slipping in their duties are made aware of their weaknesses.

It takes a strong and dedicated leader to know when they should retire their post to the next generation.  It shouldn’t be difficult to pass the baton—everyone grows older, and age is something that we can’t escape.  Yet many leaders still hang on to their positions for too long, hurting their subordinates and coworkers. 
So why don’t we all endeavor to become aware of our own strengths and weaknesses, and pledge to identify when we too have become “aged leaders?”  It’s going to happen; we just need to be able to identify it.  This ensures the best for our organization and for us, the guarantee of leaving on a high note, and best yet, possibly an earlier retirement.