Posted on Aug 11, 2015
Do You Use the Five Ingredients To Trustworthy Leadership?
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Great reminder and easy steps to follow to build trustworthy leadership in the military and in the civilian world. The best part is, you can agree or disagree with the formula!
Do You Use the Five Ingredients To Trustworthy Leadership?
By Terri Klass
Leadership Skills Training Consultant
I happen to love baking apple pies. Through the years I have experimented with many different piecrust recipes, some containing butter and some containing shortening. Not all recipes lead to tasty piecrusts so I have learned to trust my past baking strategies and only incorporate a new ingredient if it aligns with my past successes.
Learning to be a trustworthy leader is similar to baking an apple pie. We need to take a hard look at what goes into being trustworthy and identify the core elements that make it work. We also need to look at the trustworthy leaders we have worked with and how they were able to gain our trust.
FIVE INGREDIENTS TO BECOMING TRUSTWORTHY:
1. Follow Through Like A Football Pass
Similar to an athlete being counted on to complete a strategic play, leaders too need to be reliable and accountable. If we make a commitment to our team members or people we are collaborating with, then we need to make it happen. If we want to be offered higher level assignments and projects, we must prove we will come through. The interesting part of being known as dependable is that we are actually building relationships and our reputation.
2. Highlight The Mistakes
We all mess up from time to time but what differentiates those of us who have built up credit with others is that we are willing to say we made a mistake.
Tell others that an error was made early on
Find a solution to rectify the mistake either by researching a new approach or by asking team members for their ideas
Share lessons learned so others can avoid the same misstep
Encourage the people we work with to be open about their mistakes by being understanding
3. Talk Straight
The way we communicate with people is key to how they relate to us. When we are honest with our feedback, respectful of their perspectives and speak with clear language, we will be more trustworthy. I had a manager in one of my leadership workshops who felt he should withhold information that people on his team didn’t need to have. After asking him why, he realized that by not sharing all the facts, it was impossible for transparency and real creative problem solving.
4. Listen For The Train Horn
According to Stephen M.R. Covey in his notable book, “The Speed Of Trust”, when we take time to really listen to someone first and get all the information, we not only build up trust with others, but the issues get resolved in a quicker and mutually respectful way. Covey poses these questions about listening to establish trust:
Have I really listened to the other person?
Do I really understand how he or she feels?
Think back to a time when you didn’t listen first. What were the results? What would have been the results if I had listened differently?
5. Give Credit And Recognition
Have you ever worked with someone who took all the credit for a joint project? I was coaching a manager who felt so betrayed when she was not recognized for her contributions. She felt she was not a valued team member and lost trust with her boss. I also had a manager in one of my workshops who felt just the opposite- acknowledged for his outstanding work. He was so appreciative to be given credit for his hard efforts and results and looked forward to future assignments. That is building trust.
What does a trustworthy leader look like to you? How have you shown you are trustworthy?
Terri Klass is a Leadership Skills Training Consultant and Speaker who partners with organizations to create cultures of empowerment and develop future leadership. She delivers highly successful leadership workshops and is a speaker and author of articles about leadership and working with the different generations in the workplace. Learn more about Terri at http://www.terriklassconsulting.com or connect with her @TerriKlass.
Great reminder and easy steps to follow to build trustworthy leadership in the military and in the civilian world. The best part is, you can agree or disagree with the formula!
Do You Use the Five Ingredients To Trustworthy Leadership?
By Terri Klass
Leadership Skills Training Consultant
I happen to love baking apple pies. Through the years I have experimented with many different piecrust recipes, some containing butter and some containing shortening. Not all recipes lead to tasty piecrusts so I have learned to trust my past baking strategies and only incorporate a new ingredient if it aligns with my past successes.
Learning to be a trustworthy leader is similar to baking an apple pie. We need to take a hard look at what goes into being trustworthy and identify the core elements that make it work. We also need to look at the trustworthy leaders we have worked with and how they were able to gain our trust.
FIVE INGREDIENTS TO BECOMING TRUSTWORTHY:
1. Follow Through Like A Football Pass
Similar to an athlete being counted on to complete a strategic play, leaders too need to be reliable and accountable. If we make a commitment to our team members or people we are collaborating with, then we need to make it happen. If we want to be offered higher level assignments and projects, we must prove we will come through. The interesting part of being known as dependable is that we are actually building relationships and our reputation.
2. Highlight The Mistakes
We all mess up from time to time but what differentiates those of us who have built up credit with others is that we are willing to say we made a mistake.
Tell others that an error was made early on
Find a solution to rectify the mistake either by researching a new approach or by asking team members for their ideas
Share lessons learned so others can avoid the same misstep
Encourage the people we work with to be open about their mistakes by being understanding
3. Talk Straight
The way we communicate with people is key to how they relate to us. When we are honest with our feedback, respectful of their perspectives and speak with clear language, we will be more trustworthy. I had a manager in one of my leadership workshops who felt he should withhold information that people on his team didn’t need to have. After asking him why, he realized that by not sharing all the facts, it was impossible for transparency and real creative problem solving.
4. Listen For The Train Horn
According to Stephen M.R. Covey in his notable book, “The Speed Of Trust”, when we take time to really listen to someone first and get all the information, we not only build up trust with others, but the issues get resolved in a quicker and mutually respectful way. Covey poses these questions about listening to establish trust:
Have I really listened to the other person?
Do I really understand how he or she feels?
Think back to a time when you didn’t listen first. What were the results? What would have been the results if I had listened differently?
5. Give Credit And Recognition
Have you ever worked with someone who took all the credit for a joint project? I was coaching a manager who felt so betrayed when she was not recognized for her contributions. She felt she was not a valued team member and lost trust with her boss. I also had a manager in one of my workshops who felt just the opposite- acknowledged for his outstanding work. He was so appreciative to be given credit for his hard efforts and results and looked forward to future assignments. That is building trust.
What does a trustworthy leader look like to you? How have you shown you are trustworthy?
Terri Klass is a Leadership Skills Training Consultant and Speaker who partners with organizations to create cultures of empowerment and develop future leadership. She delivers highly successful leadership workshops and is a speaker and author of articles about leadership and working with the different generations in the workplace. Learn more about Terri at http://www.terriklassconsulting.com or connect with her @TerriKlass.
Leadership Development
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Competence
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Edited >1 y ago
Posted >1 y ago
Responses: 37
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Sir while I agree with this, I'd add that in order to lead effectively, you need to be able to follow effectively. After that strong listening skills. Anyone can bark orders, or yell commands, but how many actually listen and can take advice?
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COL Mikel J. Burroughs
SSG Warren Swan You have a valid point. That is one of the challenges to leading any group of individuals. That is making sure your message is being received and the individuals are receptive to your leadership style and characteristics. Like you said, anyone can bark orders and issue commands, but are the individuals they are leading receptive to that individual's leadership. It takes a lot to earn respect, trust, and the dedicated following by your team or command.
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SFC Davis Privette
Excellent point, I have always believed that in order to lead you must be able to follow. Soldiers see you follow without criticism and argument then they will emulate you be the better for it.
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I agree with these 5. I also try to practice each one. 1) plan and follow through with the plan or COA. 2) accept Failure and learn from these mistakes. 3) Be honest and don't sugar coat. 4) Know when to take a break and leave the project for the next day. 5) We in the Military are quick to punish but slow to give effective praise for a job well done. I ensure all are recognized for a good job no matter how small.
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Interesting premise in the article that is cited COL Mikel J. Burroughs is the concept of becoming trustworthy as opposed to being trustworthy.
I and most of the soldiers I served with tended to assume those we served with, over and for were trustworthy until demonstrated otherwise. Soldiers in line units especially [I expect this applies to the other Services as well] can easily size up the character of those they work with, for or over. There are usually ample opportunities to learn the motivation of leaders and led - who are there to serve, be part of a team, learn and lead a appropriate versus those who are there primarily to further their own ends [nobody wants to learn that they are a stepping stone in somebody else's career.
That being said I think there is some utility in the five ingredients:
FIVE INGREDIENTS TO BECOMING TRUSTWORTHY:
1. Follow Through Like A Football Pass - I think this means do what you stated you were going to do. In general that is a good goal; but, we all know the best laid plans of mice and men often go astray and it is always good to have a plan B, C, etc.
2. Highlight The Mistakes - getting good input during planning is essential; but the leader "owns" the plan. Learning opportunities should be leveraged in training particularly to train the leaders and the led. Learning from mistakes is one of the "best" ways to learn especially when nobody is killed and nothing is damaged beyond repair. As the leader is it my plan and I am responsible for the execution in a changing environment where the enemy gets a vote. I need to be very careful about assigning blame [doesn't not include criminal intent or negligence] and focused on minimizing the bad impact of mistakes and leveraging them to improve the operation as the force moves towards achieving the objectives.
3. Talk Straight - generally good advice to be honest. Security issues need to be guarded obviously and limited to those with a need to know.
4. Listen For The Train Horn - I think that may refer to the end of an operation, training exercise, policy drill, etc. Outside of training very few things have concrete ends. Generally there are follow-on and tangential actions required after a mission has been "completed."
5. Give Credit And Recognition - giving credit where credit is due to the living, dead and wounded is very important.
I and most of the soldiers I served with tended to assume those we served with, over and for were trustworthy until demonstrated otherwise. Soldiers in line units especially [I expect this applies to the other Services as well] can easily size up the character of those they work with, for or over. There are usually ample opportunities to learn the motivation of leaders and led - who are there to serve, be part of a team, learn and lead a appropriate versus those who are there primarily to further their own ends [nobody wants to learn that they are a stepping stone in somebody else's career.
That being said I think there is some utility in the five ingredients:
FIVE INGREDIENTS TO BECOMING TRUSTWORTHY:
1. Follow Through Like A Football Pass - I think this means do what you stated you were going to do. In general that is a good goal; but, we all know the best laid plans of mice and men often go astray and it is always good to have a plan B, C, etc.
2. Highlight The Mistakes - getting good input during planning is essential; but the leader "owns" the plan. Learning opportunities should be leveraged in training particularly to train the leaders and the led. Learning from mistakes is one of the "best" ways to learn especially when nobody is killed and nothing is damaged beyond repair. As the leader is it my plan and I am responsible for the execution in a changing environment where the enemy gets a vote. I need to be very careful about assigning blame [doesn't not include criminal intent or negligence] and focused on minimizing the bad impact of mistakes and leveraging them to improve the operation as the force moves towards achieving the objectives.
3. Talk Straight - generally good advice to be honest. Security issues need to be guarded obviously and limited to those with a need to know.
4. Listen For The Train Horn - I think that may refer to the end of an operation, training exercise, policy drill, etc. Outside of training very few things have concrete ends. Generally there are follow-on and tangential actions required after a mission has been "completed."
5. Give Credit And Recognition - giving credit where credit is due to the living, dead and wounded is very important.
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COL Mikel J. Burroughs
LTC Stephen F. I always look forward to you analysis and summation of the material presented on RP. I like the fact that you actually get down into the meat of the subject and provide your interruption based on your years of experience in leadership. I welcome it and I believe the RP community welcomes it as well. Thanks for being a great participator in each discussion.
In regards to your Number 4: Listen For The Train Horn - I believe this can be effective listening throughout the planning, coordinating, directing, and execution of any mission. I think effective listening is something that young leaders miss in the very beginning of their young careers because they are over zealous and ready to take on the world. They sometimes become impatient and overlook critical feedback from their teams and senior NCO Corps. Just a thought based on past experiences being a young and rambuncsoius lieutenant. Can effective listening lead to better trust? I say it can and it will improve your trustworthiness as a leader!
In regards to your Number 4: Listen For The Train Horn - I believe this can be effective listening throughout the planning, coordinating, directing, and execution of any mission. I think effective listening is something that young leaders miss in the very beginning of their young careers because they are over zealous and ready to take on the world. They sometimes become impatient and overlook critical feedback from their teams and senior NCO Corps. Just a thought based on past experiences being a young and rambuncsoius lieutenant. Can effective listening lead to better trust? I say it can and it will improve your trustworthiness as a leader!
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LTC Stephen F.
COL Mikel J. Burroughs - Listening to trustworthy people is always a good thing in the planning and execution of a plan.
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