We choose to follow leaders that we trust, and we choose not to follow leaders that we don’t trust. This is one of the most practical and insightful conclusions any of us will ever make about leadership. It is an undeniable reality that most people only choose to follow leaders that they trust and who are credible in their eyes. The leaders that I have chosen to loyally follow throughout my life, without exception, have been the leaders I have most trusted. Many people mistakenly believe that a leader’s title, rank, position, charisma, experience or education will automatically cause people to follow them. I totally disagree. We are living in a period of history where many of us are disillusioned with the lack of moral, ethical and character-based leadership that exists in our culture and throughout the world. People will only follow leaders who have earned the right to be followed. In the final analysis, we only choose to follow leaders who have proven themselves to be trustworthy.
Any successful relationship must rest upon a foundation of trust. This is particularly true of the relationships that exist between leaders and their followers. How do leaders build trust with their people? What are some of the practical steps that leaders must take if they hope to build healthy and vibrant relationships with their people? How do leaders gain trust and credibility with those they lead? If we hope to gain the trust of our people as leaders, we must consistently demonstrate that we are people of integrity. People want to follow leaders that speak the truth and follow through on what they say by keeping their promises and commitments. Leaders gain the loyalty of their people when they refuse to gossip about and slander others, by demonstrating that they are as loyal to others in their absence as they are in their presence. There is no such thing as partial integrity. Leaders who lead with integrity refuse to lie to anyone for any reason.
Leaders earn the trust of their people and the right to be followed when they genuinely care about their people. As leaders, we relate to others with either an outward mindset or an inward mindset. The leaders who gain the trust of their people, lead with an outward mindset that values people and is driven with a passion to serve them. This mindset fuels a spirit of servanthood that propels leaders to invest their lives in their people with the growth, development and success of their people in mind. The leaders who fail to gain the trust of their people lead with an inward mindset that selfishly causes them to disrespect, devalue, use and manipulate others.
One of the most significant ways for a leader to gain the trust of their people is to lead with competency. A competent leader is a leader who demonstrates that they possess a high degree of capability to achieve the results and outcomes that are associated with their roles. Competent leaders who gain the trust of their people clarify the mission, vision and values of their organizations, while walking their talk. Competent leaders know how to manage themselves and relate to others with self-awareness and emotional intelligence. Competent leaders gain trust through their wisdom, discernment and exceptional decision making.
As leaders, we must stay anchored to the fundamentals of leadership. People follow leaders that they trust. To what degree do your people trust you? Your people will follow a leader who has integrity, a leader who genuinely cares about them, and a leader who is competent. Don’t allow the chaotic state of this world to blind you to what makes a leader a trustworthy leader.
