Pulitzer Prize-winning writer Ernest Hemingway once rightly said: "The way to make people trustworthy is to trust them" While Mr. Hemingway's original statement was in the context of a personal relationship, it very well applies in a professional setting too.
Time and
again, it has been proven that a higher job satisfaction rate leads to better performance.
To achieve this, companies try to boost morale by giving out perks whenever
possible.
Of course,
these measures are good for short-term workplace happiness, but they do not
have any significant effect on long-term performance. Creating a workplace that
feels safe is the only way to achieve sustainable optimal performance.
A high-performing
workforce relies on the belief in psychological safety. The knowledge that
making and admitting to your mistakes won't result in criticism or other
negative outcome leads to a more productive mindset.
It reduces
the fear of taking bold decisions and enables your creativity to run free. You
feel relaxed with your thoughts and convey your best ideas enthusiastically.
This is how innovative ideas are born.
Insider
Secret: Our EQ specialist
advocates that the quickest and easiest ways to increase your Trust Factor is
to reduce your Self-Orientation. Schedule a call if
you’d like to tap on her brain for ideas.
Trust and performance are co-dependent.
The human
brain is built in a way that working under extreme stress is next to
impossible. The fight or flight response doesn’t distinguish if the problem is
trivial or extreme. Once the alarm bell rings, it’s chaos for the neurons. So,
it is understandable for performance levels to be unreliable in stressful
conditions.
In ideal
conditions, a hormone known as Oxytocin is released by the brain. This chemical
promotes trust, intimacy, and strong relationship amongst peers. When there are
high levels of stress-inducing situations in a person’s life, the level of
Oxytocin production declines sharply.
With that
goes the ability to form bonds and work together as a team. This inevitably
leads to increased cynicism, lack of trust, and decreased output quality.
On the
other hand, it’s hard to trust when the performance is subpar. So, it is safe
to say that trust and performance are co-dependent. But this co-dependency
isn’t circular: trust comes first, and then the performance.
“As artists, it's tempting to forget the
audience's needs. Too often, we're self-centered and self-indulgent in what we
share with the world. We're prideful, only showing what we deem as perfect or
what we think our peers will respect.”
~ Charity Sunshine Tillemann-Dick
There needs to be a high-trust work environment
for exemplary results.
So, what
does a high-trust
environment mean? A workplace where the employees know that they can rely
on each other? Yes, but also that leaders of the organization have the team’s
back.
When team
leaders display their trust, the feeling is returned, along with a sense of accountability
and commitment.
The key to
trust-building is to understand that the people around you are human, just like
you are. They have beliefs and opinions that deserve to be heard, just like
yours do.
When that
happens, things become simpler. It becomes easier
in handling conflicts with a smile on your face and camaraderie in your
being and results on your mind.
Making employees feel safe and trusted is not a
difficult task.
Like most
human emotions, trust does not demand much and gives a lot in turn. For
employees to feel safe and trusted in the organization, they need to know that
their contributions matter.
Recognition
Leaders who
recognize the exceptional aspects of their employees in small and big ways
build team members who will go the extra mile. Recognition shows the one being recognized
that they are valued and inspires others to put their best foot forward.
Autonomy
Creative
freedom can lead to outstanding breakthroughs. Once the basic outline of the
task is specified, employees should be allowed to tackle the problem without being
micro-managed. Different people try different approaches, and this is what
brings about innovation.
Self-Confidence
Being
transparent with the workforce goes a long way. In 2015, a study involving 2.5
million manager-led teams was conducted across 195 countries. The conclusive
result was that when supervisors had some form of daily communication with
employees, their engagement with their work increased. Personal excellence and
performance thrive.
When
workers are well informed about the state of things, anxiety and uncertainty
levels go down.
Regard
for Others
Knowing
that you are more than your badge number. At work, often people feel that the
only thing to do is get the designated tasks done; making friends seems like a
waste of time. This is not true.
According
to a recent Google study, managers who “express interest in and concern for
team members’ success and personal well-being” show better work (both in
quality and quantity) than those who do not.
Employees working in high-trust organizations
have reported exhibiting 106% more energy at work, 50% higher productivity
rates, and 40% less burnout. 50% of the employees working in such organizations
planned to stay with their employer over the next year.
PRO
TIP! Clients
who design learning journeys for their talent groups, measure behaviors
and traits on a day-to-day and when under pressure so they can zero in on areas
their talents need the most support. To develop leadership skills, in handling
conflicts, to have better conversations, and overall personal excellence.
Camaraderie and excellence walk hand in hand.
Where there
is trust, there is a feeling of community. It is in a community that positive
emotions thrive. Trust, interest, belief, and motivation expand the mind’s
horizons and help us build resourcefulness in all spheres of life.
With these on
our side, our ability to make rational and well-calculated decisions improves.
Coupled
with a sense of safety, you have a clear path ahead. When employees know they
are cared for, they’ll do their best. When they know their team would go the
extra mile to help them out, they will do the same.
Leading with trust is the only answer.
Being in
charge of a high-trust team does not mean that you should not have high
expectations. It does not mean that team members underperform. Instead, it
creates a space that brings out the best in everyone leading to a high-performing team.
It is about
treating your team members as responsible adults. They know what they are
doing- after all, they got hired in the first place on account of their skills.
Believe in your team wholeheartedly, and they will give you reasons to
strengthen this belief every day!
Reference
Photo by Jeffrey F Lin on Unsplash
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