Trust is a small word with immense consequence. It is the key component to effective organizational communication, the driving force for innovation, and the key element of successful leaders and the organizations they lead. When you walk into an organization, you know if there’s a culture of trust. You either feel it, or you don’t.
In a military society, trust is a lifeline we cannot live without. Our organizational structure, our chain of command, the basis upon which we promote the next highest grade and our ability to perform our duty all comes down to trust.
When trust exists in an organization or in a relationship, almost everything else is easier and more comfortable to achieve. Information flows with less effort, actions are less likely to be delayed because of mistrust, and suspenses more likely are met. Communication that builds trust is elevated communication and more effective. It lifts understanding, aligns our purpose (especially if we can’t see it) and improves relationships. For this and many other reasons, we have to continue to trust ourselves and each other.
With all the challenges the military faces today, it was great to read that a June Gallop Poll rated the military as the institution Americans have the highest level of confidence in, with a 76 percent rating. Why? They trust us. Leaders who empower subordinate leadership with the flexibility to define outcomes will meet mission requirements and support creative solutions to that end.
Creating that environment starts with basic principled actions of consistency, respecting boundaries, and release of omnipotent control to foster an open organization that breeds creativity. Sound crazy? Yes. It’s a paradox and a risk.
For many outsiders, the military represents a highly structured and controlled environment that would seem to stifle creativity rather than support it, but that’s not the case. Military innovations have changed the face of medicine and redefined transportation safety. The environment for that level of innovation grew from a culture of trust — trust we rely on to succeed. Organizations, military or civilian, with the highest trust levels outperform those that are not trusted 2-to-1.
While leadership that comes with rank and position still has a place, power-based leadership is becoming less relevant. It must be earned, not demanded.
It’s the ability to persuade someone over whom you have no power, or to persuade without using the rank-based power, that will identify you as a successful leader. A wise, old chief once said about leadership: “Either inspire or retire.” Without trust, you cannot hope to inspire anyone.
Trust is a function of both character and competence. We indoctrinate ourselves based on core values embodying integrity, excellence and service. Cultivating those values first requires trust. We must build it, foster it and sustain it. Steven Covey said it best, “I could give you a dictionary definition of trust, but you know it when you feel it.” I would challenge you to ask yourself, “Do you feel it?”
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Trust is a small word with immense consequence. It is the key component to effective organizational communication, the driving force for innovation, and the key element of successful leaders and the organizations they lead. When you walk into an organization, you know if there’s a culture of trust. You either feel it, or you don’t.
In a military society, trust is a lifeline we cannot live without. Our organizational structure, our chain of command, the basis upon which we promote the next highest grade and our ability to perform our duty all comes down to trust.
When trust exists in an organization or in a relationship, almost everything else is easier and more comfortable to achieve. Information flows with less effort, actions are less likely to be delayed because of mistrust, and suspenses more likely are met. Communication that builds trust is elevated communication and more effective. It lifts understanding, aligns our purpose (especially if we can’t see it) and improves relationships. For this and many other reasons, we have to continue to trust ourselves and each other.
With all the challenges the military faces today, it was great to read that a June Gallop Poll rated the military as the institution Americans have the highest level of confidence in, with a 76 percent rating. Why? They trust us. Leaders who empower subordinate leadership with the flexibility to define outcomes will meet mission requirements and support creative solutions to that end.
Creating that environment starts with basic principled actions of consistency, respecting boundaries, and release of omnipotent control to foster an open organization that breeds creativity. Sound crazy? Yes. It’s a paradox and a risk.
For many outsiders, the military represents a highly structured and controlled environment that would seem to stifle creativity rather than support it, but that’s not the case. Military innovations have changed the face of medicine and redefined transportation safety. The environment for that level of innovation grew from a culture of trust — trust we rely on to succeed. Organizations, military or civilian, with the highest trust levels outperform those that are not trusted 2-to-1.
While leadership that comes with rank and position still has a place, power-based leadership is becoming less relevant. It must be earned, not demanded.
It’s the ability to persuade someone over whom you have no power, or to persuade without using the rank-based power, that will identify you as a successful leader. A wise, old chief once said about leadership: “Either inspire or retire.” Without trust, you cannot hope to inspire anyone.
Trust is a function of both character and competence. We indoctrinate ourselves based on core values embodying integrity, excellence and service. Cultivating those values first requires trust. We must build it, foster it and sustain it. Steven Covey said it best, “I could give you a dictionary definition of trust, but you know it when you feel it.” I would challenge you to ask yourself, “Do you feel it?”