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Trust is the ultimate connector anywhere and with anyone, especially in the realm of business where trust is the currency that propels relationships forward. From your team members to your customers, building trust keeps the trolley running. At the heart of nurturing this sense of confidence lies effective leadership.
How leaders foster trust
If you think about it, a leader knows how to keep the workforce inspired and eager to involve themselves in the company’s development. Whereas, on the other side of the table, a leader’s self-confident nature makes customers believe and rely on them. As Simon Lancaster states in his book, people follow leaders who “offer the promise of safety and rewards”. This is why it’s crucial to understand and speak the language of leadership.
Soft skills may not necessarily come naturally, but we can always develop them. whether you feel like a born leader or not, these simple tips will potentiate your skills for leading. And, ultimately build trust for meaningful business relationships.
Identify your strengths and weaknesses
Since leadership requires interactions that motivate, it’s crucial to be self-aware to reinforce your strengths. After all, they impact the way you communicate and motivate your team. Also, identifying some weak points may help you build trust. This is because people can empathize with you and with how you’ve overcome your own limitations.
Target specific skills
Once you have identified your strengths and weaknesses, you can establish which skills you want to target:
- Credibility
- Adaptability
- Decision Making
- Conciliation
- Empathy or others.
Targeting the skills means aligning your strengths and minimizing the impact of your weaknesses. Let’s look at Jeff Bezos (Amazon) for example. He is a discovery-driven leader who sees the world as a platform for learning. So, among his skills, we can highlight his risk-taking nature, his visionary soul, along with adaptability.
In the case of Reshma Saujani (Girls Who Code), we can see her portraying the skills of visionary thinking, empathy, and a heavy sense of advocacy.
Without having to go that far and think of superstar leaders, John Daniel (Founding Partner of Clevertone) portrays skills like dynamism and adaptability. He also has the ability to convince and inspire others.
Lead by example
Actions speak louder than words and shine a light on the path ahead. People who lead by example demonstrate integrity, reliability, and commitment to excellence. You have probably experienced it yourself, actions move people in a way words cannot. So next time you want your team to target a task a certain way, you might want to first do it yourself. Besides, seeing someone lead by example increases confidence that the person knows what they are talking about.
Foster effective communication
Successful leaders can express and explain ideas effectively. This is because they prioritize clear communication to avoid misunderstandings and time lost. When you articulate your vision with clarity, you are making sure everyone understands your point. So both clients and employees can understand your objectives, expectations, and potential challenges.
Foster empowerment and support
Trust flourishes naturally in an environment where people feel supported and empowered. An effective leader will make sure everyone on the team feels they have a place they belong to. And, moreover, a place that supports their growth and development.
We hope these tips help you become the leader you dream of being and build trust with every actor around your business. Just remember that ultimately nothing will inspire others if it does not inspire you.
So be self-centered and ask yourself what inspires you, how you would like to be guided, and what is essential to make you feel confident of things. After your reflection, you can focus on how to land a strategy for building trust.
