PART TWO

BUILDING TRUST

Randy Conley takes the lead in this part, focusing on his expertise on the topic of trust as the foundation of a successful organization. Leadership based on trust is crucial for collaboration, innovation, employee commitment, and a healthy work environment.

Let me ask you a question: do you believe trust is important to your success as a leader? If so, raise your hand. Okay, you can put your hand down now.

Why do I think you raised your hand? Because nearly everyone who hears that question raises their hand. Anyone would be hard-pressed to argue that trust isn’t critically important to leadership success.

Now let me ask you a second question: do you have a defined strategy and plan for building trust? If so, raise your hand. Anyone?

If you didn’t raise your hand, don’t feel bad; you’re not alone. Most people don’t raise their hand when I ask them that question. Why is that? Trust is like oxygen—most people don’t think about it until they don’t have any.

It can be difficult to know where to start. Trust goes deep and wide. There aren’t any magic solutions when it comes to building trust. It requires a comprehensive and sustained approach over time.

That’s where servant leadership comes in. Servant leadership is the vehicle to building trust. Servant leaders act in ways that inspire trust in their followers. In his seminal 1970 essay “The Servant as Leader,” Robert K. Greenleaf, the father of the modern-day servant leadership movement, wrote that becoming a servant leader “begins with the natural feeling that one wants to serve, to serve first. Then conscious choice brings one to aspire to lead.”

Servant leaders are distinguished by putting the needs of their followers ahead of their own. When team members believe their leader has their best interests at heart and is there to support them in achieving their goals, trust in their leader grows by leaps and bounds.

Trust is an outcome, a result of the behaviors we use in our interactions with others. If we act in trustworthy ways, we build trust. If we behave in an untrustworthy manner, we erode trust. It’s common sense—but not always common practice.

That brings me to these Simple Truths about building trust. They contain nuggets of wisdom on topics such as the role of trust in leadership, the importance of honesty and integrity and treating people fairly, characteristics of trustworthy leaders, ways to build trust during change and rebuild broken trust, and the incredible power of forgiveness.

It’s my hope these Simple Truths will inspire and equip you to be the leader your people deserve. Because everyone should have a leader they can trust.

—Randy