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LEADERSHIP IS A PROCESS OF SOCIAL INFLUENCE, WHICH MAXIMISES THE EFFORTS OF OTHERS TOWARDS THE ACHIEVEMENT OF A SHARED GOAL.

Tuesday, August 23, 2011

Positive Leadership: Building Trust


Here are seven steps people can take to trust more prudently:

Know yourself. Some people are overly trusting; others tend to assume the worst about others. Find out which category you fall into so you know what to work on.

Start small. Trust entails risk. There's no way to avoid that, but you'll minimise the risk if you begin a relationship by taking small risks. This lets you assess the other person's trustworthiness while sending signals that you are interested in a mutually trusting relationship.

Write an escape clause. If both you and the other party know that you have a backup plan, you'll be able to engage with more commitment, knowing that the system is set up to withstand the occasional, unavoidable mistakes that permeate any complex organisation or social system.

Send strong signals. If others see that you are diligent, it will deter potential predators, who are looking for easy victims.

Recognise the other person's dilemma. To build trust, you have to put yourself in the other party's shoes and reassure him that you are trustworthy. A lot of leaders don't realise that they should be doing more to communicate the importance of trust and the fact that they are trustworthy themselves.

Look at roles as well as people. Deep trust in a role can be a substitute for personal experience with an individual. We trust engineers, for example, because of their training.

Remain vigilant and always question. Questioning people we have already decided to trust is uncomfortable but essential in cases where the stakes are high.

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