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Yet, one simple "rule of business" remains constant. Your organization's ability to execute is the ultimate determinant of your success. And, when it comes to effective execution your potential roadblocks are many.
At Ford Business Consulting, our specialty is helping organizations overcome obstacles to superior execution by tuning the human system to support the business strategy.read more...
At Ford Business Consulting, our specialty is helping organizations overcome obstacles to superior execution by tuning the human system to support the business strategy.read more...
Trust, risk, and leadership
Wouldn't it be great if everyone in your organization trusted each other? You'd quickly get to the source of problems without wasting time on turf protection or CYA. Many mistakes could be avoided because people would easily ask for help and acknowledge the limits of their expertise.
But that's not the world most people work in. We are often wary, wanting others to trust us but unwilling to trust them first. So the 800 Pound Gorilla (your corporate culture) knows that trusting is too risky and it carries on with CYA and other low trust, counter-productive strategies.
That's why your leadership is important. Trust is a risk game and the leader must ante up first.
Recently an executive was discussing with me his challenges with one of his subordinates. The executive had met one-on-one with his subordinate and was hoping the conversation would help improve the relationship. "I could tell he didn't trust me enough to offer up much about his frustrations and challenges. So I decided to open up with him about my own challenges. It felt risky to put myself out there. But then he did begin to open up. I think we're on a path toward a better working relationship." The executive made a choice to take the risk of talking to his subordinate about the challenges that he felt vulnerable about. The result? Progress in a difficult relationship. Increased trust.
If you want a more trusting organization, be the leader. Ante up first.
By Linda Ford, PhD
New Gorilla E-book Available!
The second Gorilla e-book - "The Gorilla Hates Change: How to Align Culture with Strategy" - is now available.
But that's not the world most people work in. We are often wary, wanting others to trust us but unwilling to trust them first. So the 800 Pound Gorilla (your corporate culture) knows that trusting is too risky and it carries on with CYA and other low trust, counter-productive strategies.
That's why your leadership is important. Trust is a risk game and the leader must ante up first.
Recently an executive was discussing with me his challenges with one of his subordinates. The executive had met one-on-one with his subordinate and was hoping the conversation would help improve the relationship. "I could tell he didn't trust me enough to offer up much about his frustrations and challenges. So I decided to open up with him about my own challenges. It felt risky to put myself out there. But then he did begin to open up. I think we're on a path toward a better working relationship." The executive made a choice to take the risk of talking to his subordinate about the challenges that he felt vulnerable about. The result? Progress in a difficult relationship. Increased trust.
If you want a more trusting organization, be the leader. Ante up first.
By Linda Ford, PhD
New Gorilla E-book Available!
The second Gorilla e-book - "The Gorilla Hates Change: How to Align Culture with Strategy" - is now available.
Labels: corporate culture, leadership, trust