{"id":2809,"date":"2015-08-29T10:20:02","date_gmt":"2015-08-29T14:20:02","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.trustacrossamerica.com\/blog\/?p=2809"},"modified":"2015-08-29T10:35:02","modified_gmt":"2015-08-29T14:35:02","slug":"kouzes-posner-on-building-trust","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.trustacrossamerica.com\/blog\/?p=2809","title":{"rendered":"Kouzes & Posner on Building Trust"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"TAA_R2_EDIT-CS3\"<\/a><\/p>\n

What\u00a0can we learn about trust from the great leaders, teachers, writers and philosophers?<\/strong><\/p>\n

JUST ABOUT EVERYTHING<\/strong><\/p>\n

This week we turn our attention to the words of Jim Kouzes and Barry Posner, coauthors of The Leadership Challenge<\/a>,\u00a0educators and management consultants. I have gotten\u00a0to know Jim over the past several years, and he has recently been named one of our Lifetime Honorees<\/a> as a Top Thought Leader in Trust. While many “talk trust,”\u00a0Jim is one of just a\u00a0small handful of people who “walks their talk.”\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

This article pulls\u00a0together twenty of Jim and Barry’s\u00a0most inspiring quotes. Regardless of your role in life- a parent, teacher, business, religious or military leader, the following contain many messages\u00a0about character, competence and consistency, the key ingredients in building trust.<\/p>\n

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  1. \u201cExemplary leaders know that if they want to gain commitment and achieve the highest standards, they must be models of the behavior they expect of others.\u201d<\/li>\n
  2. “The leader’s unique legacy is the creation of valued institutions that survive over time. The most significant contribution leaders make is not simply to today’s bottom line; it is to the long-term development of people and institutions so they can adapt, change, prosper, and grow.”<\/li>\n
  3. “There’s nothing more demoralizing than a leader who can’t clearly articulate why we’re doing what we’re doing.”<\/li>\n
  4. \u201cTitles are granted, but it\u2019s your behavior that earns you respect.\u201d<\/li>\n
  5. “Find your voice by clarifying you personal values.”<\/li>\n
  6. \u201cLeaders enlist others in a common vision by appealing to shared aspirations.\u201d<\/li>\n
  7. “The best way to lead people into the future is to connect with them deeply in the present.”<\/li>\n
  8. “You can’t fast track your way to excellence.”<\/li>\n
  9. \u201cLeaders don’t have to change history, but they do have to change “business as usual.”<\/li>\n
  10. \u201cLeading by example is more effective than leading by command.\u201d Unite your constituents around a common cause and connect with them as human beings.”<\/span><\/li>\n
  11. “Foster collaboration by promoting cooperative goals and building trust.”<\/li>\n
  12. “The leader merely coordinates and puts into action the wants and desires of the group.”<\/li>\n
  13. \u201cPeople commit to causes, not to plans.\u201d<\/li>\n
  14. “Living in a cave does not make you a geologist and simply being in a management position does not make you a great leader.”<\/li>\n
  15. “Leadership can’t grow in a culture that isn’t supportive of continuing development.”<\/li>\n
  16. “Say thank you.\u00a0Let the other person know that you appreciate his or her feedback and that you can\u2019t get any better without knowing more about yourself and how your actions affect others.\u201d<\/li>\n
  17. “Leaders say YES.”<\/li>\n
  18. “The worst thing someone can do is to see a problem and think it is someone else’s responsibility.”<\/li>\n
  19. “The next time you see a problem and say “Why doesn’t someone do something about this?” take a look in the mirror and say instead, “I’ll be someone to do something about it.”<\/li>\n
  20. “Model the Way – Inspire a Shared Vision – Challenge the Process – Enable Others to Act – Encourage the Heart”<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n

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    My favorites are #1, #11, #13 and #20. How about yours?\u00a0<\/strong>Want to read more from this series?\u00a0We recently\u00a0highlighted some of the best quotes on building trust from:<\/p>\n