“We don’t trust them!” This phrase has become synonymous with a prevalent, if not majority, response when people are asked about their leader’s ability to affect positive change. Almost continuous rounds of cost-cutting; feelings that others are in control of decisions that affect your life; and a general fear that things are not going as well as we would like reinforce the notion that we should be a least a little wary, if not downright afraid, that our leaders and organizations don’t have what it takes.
The ability of leaders to maintain the trust of others is critical to meeting the challenge of change. Imagine yourself in a burning building with no visible means of escape and someone you do not trust must lead you to safety. Would you blindly accept their directions or explanations?
So what causes mistrust, and what can leaders do to solve it?
That question has been on my mind for a number of years. We know that trust influences perceptions of a leader’s integrity. And, it has consistently been shown to affect individual and organizational performance and results.
We even did a study on the causes of mistrust a few years back. The results of that study led to the creation of the Five C’s that influence trust:
● Character
● Competence
● Communication
● Consistency
● Courage
It is time to confirm the causes of mistrust and trust again. After all, we’re coming out of the Great Recession. Over 15 million people are out of work, and the unemployment rate has remained stubbornly high despite impressive gains in the stock market.
We Need Your Help
We’re looking for volunteers to help us assess the state of trust in today’s organizations. More important, we want to know what leaders and organizations can do to improve the trust levels of followers.
Please take about 20 minutes to respond to this survey: https://www.surveymonkey.com/s/KSW7MH3
And, please pass the link along to anyone and everyone you know. We are looking for at least 1,000 responses to determine the causes of trust and mistrust in leaders and organizations.
Here’s what’s in it for you
At the end of the survey, you can enter your name and email letting me know that you want to be notified about the survey’s results. Also, we are willing to run the survey for your entire company or organization and report your specific results if you allow us to use the responses in the broader survey. Contact me using the information on this site if you are interested.
Everyone talks about the importance of trust, but virtually no one is discussing the specific actions and behaviors that influence it. You can help us change that.
Thanks and don’t forget to take the survey at https://www.surveymonkey.com/s/KSW7MH3
Randy Pennington
