Ways to Build Trust in Your Leadership

By Rose O. Sherman, EdD, RN, NEA-BC, FAAN

In his book The Speed Of Trust, Stephen M.R. Covey points out that trust is the currency of leadership. When trust is high, things can happen quickly often at a much lower cost. When trust is low, things happen slowly and cost more. New managers are often frustrated that their staff doesn’t trust them. Yet why should they? Trust builds over time and happens when the staff sees consistent behavior which reinforces that the leader can be trusted. There are behaviors that can help build trust more quickly. These include the following:

Keep your commitments – is the most significant behavior you can demonstrate. It’s the quickest way to build trust in any relationship. The quickest way to destroy trust is to break commitments or violate promises. Small behaviors like failing to acknowledge an email erodes trust.
Extend trust and empower others – by empowering others, you can leverage your own leadership. You should always have a bias, a desire, an inclination to trust people. Assume good intentions. You then create a high-trust culture that brings out the best in nurses and maximizes the capability of the team.
Demonstrate integrity – when you are honest, authentic and courageous in your own actions, you will inspire trust in others. Acknowledge when your behavior has contributed to a problem.
Show a commitment to your work – commitment towards a clear purpose is the primary driver of leadership trust. Nurse leaders who believe in the mission, vision, and values of their organization and show commitment in their work are more trusted by staff. Clearly communicate what you believe is important.
Walk your talk – nurses pay much closer attention to what their leaders do versus what they say. Your words and behaviors need to be congruent to be trusted.
Be ethical – character and commitment to a deeply held set of values instill trust. When nurse leaders cross ethical boundaries, trust is violated. Check your facts, don’t gossip and don’t trash others who are not in the room.
Strive to be highly competent – to earn trust, a nurse leader must have some core competence in his/her areas of responsibility. Show up on time to meetings, be prepared and ready to work.
Care about your staff – nurses want to know that their leaders care about them as people. Be quick to thank others for their work. No one likes to feel like they are not valued. Treat your staff like your moral peers.
Be other-focused – not self-focused – words have power in leadership. Staff pay attention to the language that leaders use. Leaders who are self-focused care most about themselves, and strive hard to create a better future for themselves versus their staff. Don’t make things about you.
Ask for feedback – leaders who ask for feedback demonstrate vulnerability and acknowledge that they are on a journey.

In his book on trust, Covey notes that nothing engages people like being trusted and nothing disengages people like not being trusted. If you want to attract and retain people, trust them and work to have them trust you.

Read to Lead

Covey, M.R. (2008). The speed of trust: The one thing that changes everything. Free Press.

Read Rose Sherman’s new book – The Nurse Leader Coach: Become the Boss No One Wants to Leave