The chief lesson I have learned in a long life is that the only way to make a man trustworthy is to trust him; and the surest way to make him untrustworthy is to distrust him and show your distrust. - Henry L. Stimson

Recap of last issue on Trust:
One of the most important VitalSigns™ of a healthy climate is TRUST. When your people trust you, they dig deeper, listen better, and forgive more readily. When trust is low, there is more resistance, more fear, and communication doesn't work as well (because people don't believe each other).

In the last issue we talked about paying attention to trust as a two-way street, and using your feelings of distrust as a "barometer" to measure how others trust you. If you practiced the "trust test" you probably found some people and situations where your trust level is not high. Do you believe those people have less trust in you too?

In the next issue we'll talk about discussing the trust issues -- but first invest a little time in practicing the Trust Cs.

Earning Trust:

Trust is built from the Trust Cs:

• Commitment = Following through consistently
• Caring = Showing the other person matters
• Consistency = Reacting in a somewhat predictable way
• Competence = Demonstrating ability to meet commitment

You are probably highly competent, caring, and committed or you wouldn't be in a healthcare leadership role (though many people in leadership roles believe they are not competent enough -- which may be true, no one is competent enough!)

And, if you are bluntly honest with yourself, you can probably see that there is more you can do to actively show the Trust Cs.

Think about some of the "lower trust" situations you've identified, and pick one or two to work on -- where trust is diminished but not totally broken.

Now, think about the interactions from the other person's point of view -- do they SEE your Trust Cs?

Over the next weeks, practice making your Trust Cs more visible:

Commitment = This C usually is broken because of very small compromises. You promise to call someone tomorrow, but it takes three days. You agree to fight for new desk chairs, but the opportunity doesn't seem to come up. People who have trouble with this C may feel like their in crisis a lot so they're reacting instead of leading. Practice making very small commitments (such as, "I'll email you today") and doing it.

Caring = It's easy to let caring slip amidst the daily demands of work -- your work is important but it feels mundane. People perceive this and make assumptions about your trustworthiness. You can show more caring by giving appreciations to people and activities. "I appreciate that you're working so hard." "I appreciate that we're doing this work together."

Consistency = People can trust a grouchy tyrant who is, at least, consistent. While everybody can have better and worse days, they get "thrown" if you're sometimes an angel and sometimes a monster. Maintaining your own balance is challenging, and self-care is a critical component. If you do "fly off" sometimes, circle back and take ownership of the inconsistency.

Competence = People may question your competence if they don't get to see you in action. Don't just walk the floor, work the floor! Let your staff see you skillfully doing great work.

Next time we'll go through a wonderful and challenging technique called "Trust Alliance."

Warmly,

Joshua Freedman is the Director of the Six Seconds' Institute for Healthcare Leadership, a nonprofit organization bringing 35 years of emotional intelligence expertise to improve leadership, enhance climate, and reduce turnover.