Here's a follow up to my last post (slides from my session on building trust between Boards and members). In the presentation I talked about four ways to build trust. I won't go into all the details, but here's the gist of it.
1. Be consistent. In short, do what you say you are going to do. For people in authority positions, please note that there are two components to this idea: (a) what you say you are going to do, and (b) what you do. The saying part is really important, because in my opinion, most authority figures (like Boards) end up being lousy at saying clearly what they are going to do. Like that 39-page strategic plan, for instance. If you aren't clearly saying what you'll do, then you are guaranteeing you'll be inconsistent, and that damages trust.
2. Be transparent. In short, share and reveal more than you do now. You don't have to choose radical transparency. Be strategic about it. But share more than you do now, because it will get people's attention. People and groups with authority don't like this, because it feels dangerous. It's risky. Um, yes. There is no trust without risk. So if you want the benefits of trust, figure out what new things you can reveal.
3. Tell the truth. In short, stop spinning and start telling it like it is. Admit you're wrong. Admit you don't know the answer. Show people that you are human and don't deliver the answer that they expect or that you think they want to hear. Shine the light on what is. Be authentic. We trust authenticity.
4. Let go of control. In short, people will trust you when you trust them first. The act of trusting another actually makes YOU more trustworthy in their eyes. When they see you take the risk, they have more faith that you will not take advantage of them. So instead of worrying about how to get that other group to trust you more, figure out how to let go of something and let them do it on their own. And don't check on them every three hours. Just let them do it. Then the next time you need to NOT allow them, they'll listen to your reasoning, because they trust you more.