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Leadership Academy

Leadership and Trust - Orient

To Lead Effectively, Build Trust

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Most leaders intuitively understand that trust matters in a team. Yet they may not recognize how deeply that the level of interpersonal trust with and within their teams actually affects their levels of engagement and performance. In this course you’ll learn to see and nurture those critical connections. In this course we’ll talk about how engagement and performance in a team are rooted in trust. You’ll also learn how trust in a team can be positively impacted by balancing vulnerability and efficiency at both the individual and team level.

This course is part 1 of a 4-course series that deconstructs the aspect of Leadership and Trust with the backdrop of the 16 Elements and the 6 Pillar Human Achievement Process. For an overview of these frameworks, visit the 16 Elements Academy here (opens in a new window).

Lesson 1

Introduction

course objectives

Recognize that engagement and performance in a team are rooted in trust.
Recognize that trust in a team can be positively impacted by balancing vulnerability and efficiency at both the individual and team level.

Finding Balance

Most leaders intuitively understand that trust matters in a team. Yet they may not recognize that the level of interpersonal trust in their teams affects levels of engagement and performance.

Trust in a team can be positively impacted by balancing vulnerability and efficiency at both the individual and team level.

Lesson 2

Trust and the Orient Pillar

Introduction to Trust and the Orient Pillar

Trust is built when you as the leader create an environment where your team members can balance efficiency and vulnerability.

As a leader, you can build trust by using the framework of the Orient Pillar to effectively balance vulnerability and efficiency.

Lesson 3

Perspective and Trust

Vulnerability and Efficiency

Trust is the balance between being vulnerable and being efficient. As a leader, you determine what this balance looks like for you.

reflection activity

Perspective and Trust

Leaders who ask for help, admit to limitations, and accept correction from others show the vulnerability that builds both safety and trust. But be mindful not to let vulnerability threaten performance. Vulnerability without accountability is a recipe for disaster.

Activity: Perspective and Trust

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Consider a “fire” you are currently experiencing, see looming in the distance, or can reasonably predict might happen as you answer the questions below.

When the blaze is over, you have the following possible growth strategies.

Recovery. The damage was significant, and people are hurting. I’ll need to express empathy to those who remain, give them time to heal, and provide the assurance of new growth so they don’t get mired in negative emotions and can get back to where we were.
Regeneration. Despite the initial shock, the fire has consumed many of the things that were holding the team back or keeping us stuck in the status quo. As a leader, my job is to help those remaining to transition as quickly as possible to a vision that can include new ways of thinking, doing, and working together.

Which side do you fall on the spectrum of choosing vulnerability or efficiency? Choose a point that most often describes where you find yourself.

Vulnerable and not very Efficient

Slightly more Vulnerable than Efficient

Balanced

Slightly more Efficient than Vulnerable

Efficient and not very Vulnerable

What impact does your tendency to choose vulnerability over efficiency or vice versa have on your team?

Describe three things you can do to find greater balance between your efficiency and vulnerability preferences.

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Lesson 4

Identity and Trust

Extending Trust

Extending trust is an essential part of leadership. Your identity helps determine how you extend that trust as a leader.

reflection activity

Identity and Trust

Effective leaders work to understand the levels of trust their team members desire while weighing the balance of efficiency and vulnerability necessary to meet organizational goals. As you reflect on those you lead as well as your peers or leaders, how do you feel about the balance of trust and efficiency?

Activity: Identity and Trust

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(Optional) Only used to send you your response.

As a leader, take a moment and consider your direct reports as you answer the following questions.

Who do you feel has a strong need or desire to be “trusted"?

Who do you feel prefers to execute against a well-defined to-do list?

Does your style feel out of alignment with any of the above?

What might you do to allow more vulnerability in trusting those who seek a higher level of trust, or be more efficient for those who don’t?

Now, consider your own leadership development around trust and identity. Thinking about your peers and leaders you report to, answer the following questions.

How do your preferences around being trusted align with your leader or peers?

If you would like your leader to exercise more vulnerability and extend more trust, or realize more efficiency by narrowing what you’re entrusted with, what three things can you do to start a dialogue around that topic?

Phone

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Lesson 5

Objective and Trust

Why, Not What

When setting goals and objectives, it’s important to start with why you are making them. Doing so will enable you to strengthen trust and engagement with those you lead.

reflection activity

Objective and Trust

Consider a current objective for your team as you move through an INSIDE OUT approach.

Activity: Objective and Trust

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Think about a specific team objective as you answer the following questions.

Begin with WHY.

What organizational values relate to the fulfillment of a current team objective?

Determine your team’s HOW.

Does accomplishment of the objective require your team to learn new skills? If so, how will you close that gap?

Connect to WHAT.

Connect some of your team’s personal or collective values to the objective.

Phone

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Lesson 6

Plan and Trust

The Balloon Pilot

Having a “way forward strategy,” or plan, will help you reach your objectives. Frequently sharing your plan with your team helps build trust.

reflection activity

Plan and Trust

The most effective plans are both challenging and connected to a sense of purpose. Consider an objective you are working toward or about to start as you answer the questions below. After you have laid out your plan, build trust by sharing your plan with your team.

Activity: Plan and Trust

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Identify an objective or project that you are about to start.

Identify your key milestones (moments of important achievement) below.

Identify the “next” steps that lead toward your next milestone.

Set a cadence (i.e. frequency) for review that determines how often you’ll evaluate progress and revise your plan if necessary.

Describe how, when, and with whom you will share your plan with your team and, if appropriate, invite agreement and/or feedback.

Name

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Lesson 7

Building Your Way Forward Strategy

Summary of Trust and the Orient Pillar

Having a “way forward strategy,” or plan, will help you reach your objectives. Frequently sharing your plan with your team helps build trust.

Free Resource

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We care deeply about helping you live your best life.

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Rusty Lindquist

Author, Founder, CEO Life Engineering

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