Trust
Trust is a willingness to be vulnerable to others. We are willing when we have developed positive expectations. Trust makes everything run better, but we lack it because people do not want to be vulnerable. One of the simplest but most powerful things a leader can do, then, is be the first to trust.
Leadership Tools
The Online Team and Community Index is a self-report instrument designed to assess the cohesion and
effectiveness of remote teams via five dimensions: Purpose, Trust, Communication, Collaboration, and
Convenience. The OTCI includes an Action Item Checklist designed to provide users with tangible ways to
improve performance in the five dimensions. The OTCI was informed by years of team dynamics
research and best practices of successful remote work teams.
This document contains stories of people being trustful and of failing to be trustful. (The titles next to people’s names are their titles at the time the story occurred and may not be their title currently.) Discussing diverse situations in which people failed or succeeded to live up to their values often helps people to recognize and act on other opportunities when they arise. By discussing these stories in meetings, on teams, over internet or intranet forums, or in classrooms, groups can come up with ideas for leading with exceptional trust, learn each other’s perspectives, work through disagreements, and generate ideas. The teaching note is included.
Benefit of Trust
When people lead with trust, followers feel more self-esteem, perform better, and contribute beyond role expectations.
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