trust Archives - Page 5 of 5 - Dennis E. Gilbert

11
Nov 16
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Is Trust Your Competitive Edge?

Tags : competitive advantage leadership trust

Organizations of all shapes and sizes strive to improve efficiencies, productivity, and have a competitive advantage over their competition. Do you think trust plays a role in creating your competitive advantage?

Often workplace leaders recognize that trust plays a role with employee teams, but often they can’t see the connection to trust and the bottom line on the income statement. Is there a connection? You bet because trust, or a lack of, is (in-part) responsible for effort, energy, and engagement of all teams. Do trust issues exist within your team?

Warning Signs

Sometimes thoughtless actions, unconscious behaviors, or communication that is misinterpreted can break down organizational trust. You also cannot forget that many people carry trust issues with them. This is sometimes what we call baggage, and this baggage may not even be related to their current workplace or job role. Trust is typically not on or off like a light switch but more in varying degrees or levels. Here are a few (of many) things to watch for as you consider trust levels in your organization:

Chronic finger pointing. Every time there is something wrong, it must be someone else’s fault. A little bit of this is human nature, but in the worst trust scenarios no one wants to be responsible. There may also be a tendency to watch others fail rather than try to help bail someone out when they are heading down the wrong path. You’re all in it together and if you must choose sides, choose your own team. Handing the win to the competition is so disappointing.
Little or no accountability. People who are held accountable also typically recognize their responsibility to work flow, work quality, and contributing to bottom-line efforts. If there is limited or no accountability people may tend to dodge commitments and responsibility adding to re-work, duplicate work, and missed deadlines. Accountability shouldn’t be feared or presented with, “do it or die,” it should be desirable because it is part of the pride of a job well-done.
Wavering decisions. Sometimes a decision to do nothing is still a decision, but a lack of commitment to decisions or choices and chronic, on-again-off-again approaches are a sure sign of minimal trust (or confidence) in the team’s ability to achieve the desired results. Things change fast and a fluid approach is okay. Let’s face it, sometimes you will have to pivot, but when the team makes a decision be thoroughly committed.
Reluctance to attend or speak in meetings. “Shooting the messenger,” will certainly make people more reluctant to share the next time, but so will a lack of respect for feedback related to improving the work. Sometimes the co-pilot notices the obstacle before the pilot, accept feedback and regularly engage in open discussion for organizational improvement. These should not be structured complaint sessions, but more of an opportunity to brainstorm. Meeting participants should bring solutions to the table not just problems. Meeting conversations should be two-way.
Problems tackled through electronic communication. Needless to say electronic communication is wildly popular and it has many advantages. However, in low-trust environments it provides a false sense of security and the opportunity to structure the communication in manner that positions people to win or lose. Later it is often entered into evidence for the judge and jury to decide about who is right or wrong and in many cases this has little or nothing to do with fixing the problem. Tough problems are often best solved face-to-face, and yes, video conversations are better than text only, but still likely not as genuine or effective as an old school get together.

Lower levels of trust hurt your competitive edge by weakening the ability for your organization to perform at its best. In addition to trying to process through internal problems, the external community such as your clients, vendors, and stakeholders are less enchanted by the idea of doing business with you. Your reputation may weaken causing you to have to spend more money to achieve similar results. Piling up on this is the idea that establishing new business relationships is almost always more costly than maintaining existing ones.

Do you think trust is part of your competitive advantage?

I know I do.

– DEG

Dennis E. Gilbert is a business consultant, speaker (CSP^TM), and coach that specializes in helping businesses and individuals accelerate their leadership, their team, and their success. He is the author of the newly released book, Forgotten Respect, Navigating A Multigenerational Workforce. Reach him through his website at Dennis-Gilbert.com or by calling +1 646.546.5553.

Dennis Gilbert on Google+

04
Nov 16
2

3 Tips To End Micromanagement

Tags : Delegation leadership micromanagement supervisory trust

Your boss doesn’t trust you. Now there is a shocking revelation. Micromanagement mostly happens for one reason, a lack of trust. Can you end micromanagement? Yes, perhaps you can.

At least two schools of thought exist for the concept of micromanagement. The first is that your boss simply doesn’t trust you. The second might be that your boss is a control freak. Many people might suggest that both of these ideas are connected and that when there is a lack of trust, the boss feels the need for more control.

Improve Relationships

When it comes to improving workplace relationships building more trust is critical, and when sufficient trust exists there is much less room for micromanagement. Here are several tips that can help make a difference:

Ask more questions. Questions help to create focus. Your boss might not feel comfortable that you understand all of the parameters of the work you are about to perform. Not wanting to insult you or your capabilities your boss says very little but worries. You not wanting to appear incompetent or annoying ask very few questions. The end result is that your boss micromanages the project. The solution is to ask more questions and be sure to illustrate your understanding by using paraphrasing techniques.
Mention past successes. During the early stages of any project be sure to reflect back on past successes. When you mention previous projects it will help both you and your boss feel more comfortable about the work you are about to perform. You might consider saying something like, “Yes, this is just like the work that we did on project X.” Considering that the past project was recognized as successful your boss will begin to feel more confident that you understand the new project and that you will do a fantastic job.
Give progress reports. Perhaps, the last thing you want to do is to feel like you are being a pest to your boss. Not only does constant follow-up and check-ins make you feel weak, but you might also feel like you are annoying or interrupting something more important. If you are being micromanaged perhaps the best thing you can do is report in early. Let go of some of your own ego for a few minutes and provide that update or quick check-in with your boss before you are asked to do so. You might find that small and appropriately structured project updates will give your boss the peace of mind that the project is in good hands.

End Micromanagement

Micromanagement easily ranks in the top three for the type of complaints that I hear from employees at many different organizational levels. It is not necessarily a signal to me that the supervisors are doing a bad job, it is a signal to me that there is a lack of trust.

Trust is nearly always a two-way street, and there certainly can be varying degrees or levels of trust. Chances are good that your boss is not a control freak, and your situation can be improved by increasing trust. Remember though, trust takes time to build.

One final note, fighting trust issues by identifying that they exist and should just go away is not the answer. Saying “trust me” typically doesn’t resolve trust issues and in some cases it might make people watch more closely.

Do you want to end micromanagement?

Be patient with trust and keep in mind that you have the opportunity to build more.

– DEG

Originally posted on November 4, 2016, last updated on November 16, 2018.

Dennis E. Gilbert is a business consultant, speaker (CSP^TM), and culture expert. He is a five-time author and the founder of Appreciative Strategies, LLC. His business focuses on positive human performance improvement solutions through Appreciative Strategies®. Reach him through his website at Dennis-Gilbert.com or by calling +1 646.546.5553.

Dennis Gilbert on Google+

12
Oct 16
-

5 Skills for Transitioning Supervisors

Tags : leadership skills supervisory transition trust

You have to start somewhere and probably most of today’s best workplace leaders were once just part of the crowd. Transitioning supervisors, those who are moving from working as a peer to becoming a boss isn’t always easy, but with some energy spent in the proper areas new supervisors can make it look easy.

It happened to me, one day your just part of the team and the next, well, you’ve become a boss. While there is a certain amount of pride and admiration associated with your new role, there is also a lot of fear and the possibility of conflict when supervising those who you previously worked with as peers.

There are many skills that should be addressed and there are numerous books, seminars, and coaching or mentoring experiences available that can save you time and a lot of frustration. This is important not only for the person transitioning to supervisor but also for those who are now direct reports.

supervisor

While it is difficult to highlight only a few, below are five skills that every transitioning supervisor should master:

Ability to build trust. Everybody seems to understand the need for trust, but very few put in the hard work required to create it. Trust is often challenging to build and can be taken away in a moment. Work with your team to minimize complaining and blaming, make a commitment to decisions and actions, be available, and be consistent. These are considered to be some of the most fundamental building blocks of trust, know them, do them, and you’ll be on your way to a more trusting environment.
Use empathy. Many new supervisors feel a lot of schedule pressure; they are often still doing much of their previous role only now they are also responsible to supervise. New supervisors are sometimes reluctant to get involved in problems because honestly, they don’t believe they should have any. Remember that empathy is not sympathy, empathy means that you don’t necessarily agree or disagree but that you have some understanding of a situation or problem. Being more empathetic means improving your listening skills.
Become a better listener. Listening is not the same thing as hearing, it is a developed skill. Listen with the intent to develop an understanding. Make time to listen, listen to learn and not just to formulate a response. Make every attempt to break down barriers, filters, and stereotypes. Often when we feel that we really know someone we formulate our opinion before they speak, this is known as framing, and if you do it, stop.
Purposely collect feedback. As much as you may feel some discomfort in your new role, those who now report to you also have to get a feel for this new environment. Be very open to feedback, in fact, work to collect it whenever possible. Place value in conversations and avoid chronic use of electronic (email) communication. Connect face-to-face, through video tools, or by telephone and develop the new relationship as a supervisor and direct report.
Have conversations not confrontations. Make all of your communication clear, open, and honest. Always work from facts not opinions and base any difficult conversations on observations and not hearsay. The use of vague language or glossing over issues only contributes to the problem. Praising an employee is easy, addressing difficulties may be more challenging but when the communication is open and timely it reduces the feeling of confrontation.

It’s important for supervisors to commit to the time and resources required to advance their skills. While sometimes the method of transition is to merely give a title, a small salary increase, and turn you loose, it is never too late to work towards improving your supervisory (managers, directors, et al) skill set.

Every strong supervisor today started someplace, never forget where you came from, but it is where you are going now that may be most important.

Transition wisely.

– DEG

Originally posted on October 12, 2016, last updated on January 18, 2019.

Dennis Gilbert on Google+

21
Sep 16
6

Is Trust Required for Delegation?

Tags : control Delegation fear trust

Many believe that it is the newest supervisors (managers, directors, leaders, et al) who fail to effectively delegate. Yes, there is often a learning curve or adjustment period required when you enter a new leadership role, but even the most seasoned professionals sometimes miss the mark on effective delegation.

The absence of effective delegation is often related fear. Fear is the driver of poor performance in many leadership competencies and delegation is not an exception. Leaders reluctant to delegate often struggle with the fear of failure, the fear of success, or even the fear that they may lose control. Poor delegation efforts also develop when the leader hand picks the jobs that are fun, easy, or they otherwise enjoy doing. A lack of trust is often the factor most associated with fear in delegation efforts.

Is trust required? Well, it certainly helps most situations. Here are three key points that relate to delegation and trust:

1. Expectation conversations are easier. Let’s face it, if you don’t trust that a team member can do the work, do it correctly, and do it on time, your conversation prior to handing over any assignment is going to be longer, more drawn out, and require a lot more effort. Sometimes so much effort that a person who should be delegating work simply decides to do it themselves citing that it is just easier that way.

2. Delegation takes less time when there is trust. Think of a conversation you might have with a co-worker who you don’t trust very much. Take a moment to visualize that conversation, really go through it step-by-step. Now, think about that same conversation with a person who you completely trust. What is the difference? Delegation with a person you trust is not only easier but it will take much less time. You don’t have the same feeling of needing to discuss the finest details, of double checking for clarity and expectations, and you feel more confident eliminating some of the stress that often hinders good delegation efforts.

3. Trusted resources are supervised differently. Of course, this is true. A person who you completely trust to complete assignments, to complete them properly, on-time, while also meeting or exceeding expectations is going to be a different supervisory experience when compared to someone that you believe cannot achieve that same level of performance.

Are you effective at delegation? What would your direct reports say? Have you asked them? Have you recently (or ever) been accused of micromanaging?

Perhaps the step that comes before delegation should be building more trust.

– DEG

Dennis Gilbert on Google+

26
Apr 16
2

3 Generational Commonalities

Tags : commonalities generational differences respect trust

What is more important our differences or commonalities? There is so much expression about how workforce generations are different; it might be refreshing to understand a little bit more about what they have in common. Have you ever thought about generational commonalities?

Many people agree that there are challenges when reaching across the workforce generations and often we hear about the negativity experienced from baby boomers or the sense of entitlement when it comes to the millennials. Perhaps there is too much energy spent on examining differences. What do we have in common?

Generational Commonalities

Here are three (of many) things all generations share:

Trust – employees of all generations want to feel a sense of trust. When you believe in the people you work with and trust them, your communication and job performance improves. Trust, like respect, often has to be earned.
Respect – everyone wants respect. The trouble spot when working across the generations is that everyone (or each generation) may define respect differently. Sometimes respect is assumed or given, but many times it must be earned.
Change – when you find a group of employees feeling uneasy, nervous, and afraid, you have probably found a team who is experiencing change. This feeling has little or nothing to do with generational orientation, it often comes from what someone feels they have to lose, or gain.

Silver Bullets

While it may be hard to find the silver bullet or quick fix to solving cross-generational conflict, a focus on differences tends to increase the visibility and opportunity for negativity. On the other hand, when we focus more on our commonalities we might discover that we have deeply rooted mutual goals. Better understanding of common goals can unite people. It may also help to eliminate barriers that keep teams from achieving high performance.

What would you rather do, chronically discuss differences, or unite your team and achieve excellence?

Choose excellence.

– DEG

Dennis E. Gilbert is a business consultant, speaker, and coach that specializes in helping businesses and individuals accelerate their leadership, their team, and their success. He is the author of the newly released book, Forgotten Respect, Navigating A Multigenerational Workforce. Reach him through his website at Dennis-Gilbert.com or by calling +1 646.546.5553.

Dennis Gilbert on Google+

01
Dec 15
-

5 Tips for Leading a Multigenerational Team

Tags : generational differences leadership respect trust

You cannot lead across all generations with the do as I say, think as I think, work as I work approach. Like it, or resent it, leadership today requires careful consideration and an in-depth understanding of multigenerational approaches for creating buy-in, establishing credibility, and effectively managing communication.

As if that is not enough, creating a trusting environment with universal principles that are inclusive of every generation is a must. Below are five tips for leading across all generations:

Illustrate loyalty. Many believe there is a lack of commitment to longevity by the more recent generations. In contrast, those same (more recent) generations believe the short-comings on commitment and loyalty are illustrated by old-school leaders who are frustrated with new school ideologies. Bridge the gap by providing evidence of loyalty, commitment, and opportunity across all generations.
Provide opportunities for learning. College or no college, illustrate your interests in advancing the team through books, seminars, or videos. Everyone knows that learning improves performance. Old school or new school, experience or formal education, learning has been tested, and it has passed the test every time.
Think across the boundaries. Open-mindedness is a value and belief system for many leaders. Be willing to stretch across formal frameworks and leap hurdles in the spirit of moral or social responsibility. People representative of any generation will likely thank you for it.
Solve it with technology. Whatever stands in the way of progress, solve it with technology and let go of any workflow traditions that don’t include state-of-the-art approaches.
Demonstrate that you value knowledge. Many people from any generation may realize that their experiences are not always in perfect alignment with the job. For this reason placing a value on knowledge—not experience—should be the focal point.

Perhaps the most important element of leading across all generations is the ability to illustrate and live by a culture of common focus, not a culture of a focusing on differences. Generational differences limit team effectiveness, commonalities bridge gaps. Make your approach one of mutual respect with a focus on what everyone has in common and never forget that generational differences represent a symptom of a greater problem, and are likely never the root cause.

– DEG

Dennis Gilbert on Google+

19
Aug 14
2

Build More

Tags : brand image Talent trust

Colgate, Tide, and Pepsi, all are brands. Brands have a reputation built on trust, tested over time, and likely recognized as a leader in a category of product or service. Yet there are other brands, brands that stand for low cost, convenient, or ease of use.

Do you remember something that you paid too much for six months ago? If it wasn’t a major purchase, you probably don’t. Do you remember the brand that let you down? Do you remember when your trust was violated?

Your brand, your image, your product or service are all built from your reputation which likely starts, and ends, with trust. People will pay more, or pay less, and in the long run they probably won’t remember if they overpaid, but they’ll always remember what they trust.

You can build your brand, your talent, and your reputation, but if you don’t build trust you’ll likely build very little.

Build more.

– DEG

Dennis Gilbert on Google+

04
Feb 14
2

Under the Bus

Tags : career difficult people respect trust

We see it in action thriller movies and we hear it used metaphorically in the workplace, but one outcome most of us never want is the feeling of being thrown under the bus. That undesirable situation when a trusted peer, direct report, or boss completely breaks down any trust and respect by taking advantage of your relationship, placing blame, or otherwise sabotaging your job, career, or even personal relationships.

Do you have tire tracks on your back? If that trusted ally, partner, or confidant does the seemingly unforgivable you have at least three choices on how to respond:

Confront them tactfully (think conversation not confrontation)
Strategically manage future interactions (think situation management)
Do nothing and prepare yourself for more tracks in the future

The proper choice may vary drastically from situation to situation, but most likely preparing to get more tracks is not the answer. It is unlikely that we will change other people, but we can change how we manage our interactions with them.

The first step should be to consider what led to the opportunity for their action or behavior, and how can you better manage future interactions? Bus throwers are opportunists and when they don’t see an easy opportunity they typically move on. Next we have to realize that it is not a one size fits all approach, every circumstance or situation is unique. Tactful conversation may help as well as being strategic (not tactical) when managing future interactions. People walk through open doors and opportunists seldom knock. Don’t leave open doors for the wrong people.

If you are picking yourself up at the curb, brush off those tracks, and think more strategically about how to better manage your future interactions. We may not always be able to remove difficult people in our lives, but we can change how we interact with them.

– DEG

Photo Credit: Katie Hargrave

Dennis Gilbert is a national level corporate trainer, speaker, consultant, and coach. He is leading people, teams, and organizations to new levels of personal and professional growth. He latest book is: Pivot and Accelerate, The Next Move Is Yours!

Dennis Gilbert on Google+

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Generational Commonalities

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