Dr. Bill Howatt, Founder and CEO Howatt HR.
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In a 2020 study by the Young Presidents Organization, 96% of executives rated building and maintaining trust with stakeholders (employees, vendors, customers and investors) as a high business priority. This is an important work aspect for employees as well. Gallup reports that poor relationships with direct managers is often why people quit their jobs. On the flip side, a Harvard Business Review study found that when employees trust their leaders, they have less stress or burnout symptoms, more energy and greater engagement. They also showcase higher productivity, take fewer sick days and are more satisfied with their lives.
It's clear that one approach businesses have been taking is giving leaders access to development training programs. United States organizations are estimated to spend more than $350 billion a year on these efforts. They wouldn't be spending that kind of money if executives were unclear on the direct relationship between leadership effectiveness and employee retention and productivity.
However, the success of leadership development programming is often determined by the number of leaders who have completed it. This shows that decision makers don't actually understand how adults learn and retain information. Activity-based training with no follow-up or measurement guarantees only that leaders have been exposed to information; there's no accountability for relearning or habit development. Only with follow-through and reinforcement can a leadership development program correct for the forgetting curve and ensure employee trust is being forged.
Leaders must develop trust-building habits.
Leaders are often sent to programs on communications, influence and other skills where they're exposed to useful content grounded in research. The leaders who internalize and repeatedly demonstrate the information gained are more effective. The problem is that, at the end of a course, learners don't typically have a clear line of sight on key performance behaviors (KPBs) that should be practiced until they become effective leadership habits. When new learnings aren't practiced, they're often forgotten—rendering them effectively useless.
For example, a KPB may be not interrupting someone before they've finished their thoughts. So leaders who tend to interrupt will need to develop new habits for creating a trusting, supportive space where employees feel heard and valued. But even if their development programming discussed the issue, leaders must be challenged to engage with their behavior and convert the learnings into a daily practice.
When it comes to building trust, here are some KPBs and practical steps for leaders to employ.
Talk with, not at, employees.
Creating a psychologically safe and trustworthy space as a leader means allowing team members to share their points of view without fear of retaliation or retribution. This kind of environment increases the likelihood that employees will feel valued and respected.
If the KPB is being able to talk productively with team members, one habit leaders could build is consciously listening more than they speak. This means intentionally trying to understand what an employee is saying, which may involve asking questions and checking in to ensure everyone is on the same page. With this kind of support, employees can begin to develop the confidence to speak up and share their truth consistently.
This also helps leaders understand the team dynamics and step in when needed. For example, by monitoring who is talking more, leaders can create the habit of slowing down, creating space for others to speak and increasing the opportunity to learn from others. This leadership habit allows for two-way conversations, which is necessary for building trusted relationships.
Demonstrate empathy when engaging with employees.
A key aspect of building trust with employees is not playing down situations they're experiencing and, instead, listening to understand their positions without judgment. Rather than guessing employees' feelings or ignoring them, practicing the habit of empathy shows leaders are present and care about their employees' perceptions. Empathetic leaders also ask for feedback on how to best support employees, which builds trust.
Practice transparency at all times.
Leaders must be aware of the way they share information and how it may be received. Showing vulnerability about what they know and don't know will create opportunities for engaging in open conversations with employees. Whenever appropriate, leaders should practice not withholding information, resources or opportunities from employees. Keeping employees updated and checking in regularly to ensure information is understood in the right context increases the likelihood that employees will find their leader credible and trustworthy.
There's no course for employees to learn how to trust their leaders. Trust comes through experiences, and it's up to leaders to create those experiences.
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