The Eight Behaviours of Trust

Trust is a complex and far-reaching concept that pervades our personal and professional pursuits. We cannot bottle trust and sell it. Trust is based on an individual’s mental model that people are generally honorable. Social and ethical theorist Russell Hardin stated that “generalized trust must be a matter of relatively positive expectations of the trustworthiness, cooperativeness, and helpfulness of others.” Generalized trust is just one type of trust. The other type of trust is ‘behavioural’ trust, both of which are intangible imperatives of organizational culture that drive engagement and collaboration.

Trust increases the likelihood that people will communicate openly and adopt cooperative attitudes in order to work in integrated teams with a shared responsibility and shared objectives. Without trust relationships are dysfunctional and work effectiveness and performance suffer. Trust plays a critical role in leadership performance and organizational culture.

The word trust is derived for the German word trost, meaning comfort. This is an appropriate association because when we trust someone, we are comforted by the belief that this person has our best interest at heart and thus will not endanger us or put us at risk. Trust is a critical component in all human interactions, and often bestowed on the basis of how we experience a person’s behaviour toward us. Trust does not come automatically with positions of power. It must be supported by ongoing good behaviour, which then validates our confidence in bestowing our trust in that person.

Trust-earning or trust-building behaviours include:

1. Consistency in manner, words, and actions;
2. Accountability and transparency, including actively listening, sharing information, and taking responsibility instead of blaming;
3. Genuine or sincere interest in and concern for others;
4. Respectful and equal regard for and treatment of others, regardless of rank or position;
5. Focused attention;
6. Principled and evidence based decision making;
7. Dedication to fulfilling (not just making) promises;
8. Willingness to celebrate and reward good and exceptional work.

Individual leader behaviour is the single most important predictor of organizational performance. Trust-building behaviours make up just a few of the self-awareness traits of leaders who know that their everyday words, actions, and habits can either strengthen or weaken trust. We can all list the outcomes of an unmotivated, disengaged workforce, particularly in high stress and high risk environments. This is why leaders of today must be vigilant to make positive, impactful decisions that build trust in those with whom we work.

Science has proven that trust will not and cannot develop in an environment wrought with negative human energy. The skill of Positive Presence makes the connection for mindset, behaviour and human energy with its innovative thought model using a systematic, programmatic methodology to equip leaders with the knowledge and understanding for developing and sustaining the behaviour skills necessary for a trust-building environment.