Regardless of the size of the organization, it\u2019s no secret that every \u201cbuck\u201d stops on the CEO\u2019s desk and trust is no exception. A CEO who fails to \u201cmodel\u201d trust cannot build or maintain a sustainable business. So while the following \u201c10 T\u2019s of Trustworthy Leadership” may seem somewhat obvious to you, they may not be to your CEO. Share them the next time your team meets and deliver a copy of this blog to the CEO\u2019s office. If he or she doesn\u2019t thank you for it, you\u2019re probably working for the wrong leader.<\/p>\n
#1<\/strong> Trustworthy- Very simply, a culture of trust cannot exist with an untrustworthy leader. Trustworthy behavior must start at the top and flow down through every manager within the organization. Trust building tools should be incorporated into meetings. Management should reward those who model trust and CEO\u2019s should regularly address all stakeholders about the steps being taken to build trustworthy behavior within the organization.<\/p>\n #2<\/strong> Tools- and speaking of tools, there are many trust tools that CEO\u2019s can utilize to build trust amongst their internal and external stakeholders. They run the gamut from metrics to assessments and online surveys. The results may be surprisingly good, or just the opposite. And if they are the latter, it\u2019s time to get busy.\u00a0 Either way, maybe it\u2019s time to add a Chief Trust Officer to the staff. And remember, what can be measured can be managed.<\/p>\n #3<\/strong> Treatment- The Golden Rule says to \u201ctreat others the way you want to be treated\u201d and certainly holds true with trust. The CEO that extends trust to his\/her stakeholders is more likely to have it returned.<\/p>\n #4<\/strong> Teamwork- As we all know, teamwork leads to better decisions and better outcomes. Breaking down the silos to make trustworthy behavior the #1 priority in the C-Suite, should be on every CEO\u2019s \u201cto do\u201d list. Trust should not be confused with compliance. Being \u201clegal\u201d is not the same as being trustworthy.<\/p>\n #5<\/strong> Talk- Your stakeholders need to know what steps you are taking to build a trustworthy organization. Let\u2019s face facts, quarterly numbers are no longer the \u201cbe all and end all,\u201d and the evidence is building that one need not sacrifice \u201cgood numbers\u201d for a trustworthy culture. Companies can simultaneously \u201cdo good and do well. \u201c www.trustacrossamerica.com\/blog\/?p=573<\/a><\/p>\n #6<\/strong> Truth- for goodness sake, any CEO who wants to build a trustworthy organization, must always tell the truth. No company is perfect. It\u2019s not necessary to air all the dirty laundry, just don\u2019t lie about it.<\/p>\n #7<\/strong> Time- Building a culture of trustworthy business does not happen overnight. It takes time, maybe even years. The CEO who invests the time to educate himself or herself about how to build trust among teams and with stakeholders, develops a plan, communicates and implements it, will be rewarded with greater stakeholder trust. And when the slip up occurs, those who \u201cbanked\u201d trust will recover faster.<\/p>\n #8<\/strong> Transparency- Merriam Webster defines \u201ctransparent\u201d as characterized by visibility or accessibility of information especially concerning business practices. Any CEO who thinks he\/or she can still hide behind a veil of secrecy need only spend a few minutes on the social networks reading what stakeholders are saying about his\/her company. Why not be proactive? It\u2019s time to stop viewing transparency as a risk.<\/p>\n #9<\/strong> Thoughtful- that\u2019s not to say that stakeholders must know the company’s trade secrets or what the CEO had for dinner. But the CEO who thinks about building a trustworthy organization, might consider making \u201ctrust\u201d more prominent through a well-developed communications strategy. It\u2019s still the rare company that makes trust a priority, so if yours is one of the few that do, why not brag about it? Your stakeholders will thank you for it.<\/p>\n #10<\/strong> Tweet- If Bill George sees a reason to do it, it\u2019s probably time you did too!<\/p>\n online.wsj.com\/article\/SB10000872396390444083304578018423363962886.html?mod=rss_Technology<\/a><\/p>\n <\/p>\n Barbara Kimmel is the Executive Director of Trust Across America, the leading source of information, standards and data on trustworthy business.<\/p>\n She is also the self-designated Tribal Chief of The Alliance of Trustworthy Business Experts (#trusttribe)<\/p>\n