This is the sixth and the final in the series of articles to help you to be in the best position for pursuing your next leadership promotion. The previous five articles in the series can be found at:
- If You Want that Promotion, Be Intentional
- If You Want that Promotion, Mindset Matters
- If You Want that Promotion, Exude Presence
- If You Want that Promotion, Align Yourself
- If You Want that Promotion, Be Courageous
“Trust is the glue of life. It’s the most essential ingredient in effective communication. It’s the foundational principle that holds all relationships.” ~ Stephen Covey
As a leader it is important that people feel that they can trust you. When you are going for promotion, let your reputation precede you, but make sure that it is good. If people feel that they can trust you, they are more likely to warm to you and to like you.
Leaders who are trustworthy are also more likely to foster a culture of trust. There are many benefits to being a high trust organisation. In his Harvard Business Review article Neuroscience of Trust, Professor Paul Zak shared that ‘Employees in high-trust organizations are more productive, have more energy at work, collaborate better with their colleagues, and stay with their employers longer than people working at low-trust companies. They also suffer less chronic stress and are happier with their lives, and these factors fuel stronger performance.’
Be authentic
I often have clients who are not being their authentic selves because they are worried about how they will be perceived due to misconceptions and stereotypes associated with introversion, or when they are in the minority to the dominant group.
When we have the confidence to be our authentic selves, we feel more confident, we feel happier, we can be more productive, we have better relationships, and it’s good for our overall well-being. When someone acts inauthentically, it shows. It can be hard to develop trust in someone who is inauthentic so be your authentic self.
Integrity
At the moment here in the UK, many people are losing trust in Prime Minister Boris Johnson due to the many instances where he has shown to lack integrity. Some are saying that he won’t resign because he lacks integrity. How does this behaviour instil trust in him as a leader, and in the government?
Be a leader of integrity. It is seen as one of the top leadership attributes. Practice what you preach and treat others as you would wish to be treated - with honesty, ethically, and without bias.
Credibility
You want people to believe in you and your leadership abilities so show them that they can. Think of leaders you know who lack credibility and those that do, what is it about them why you think this? Establishing credibility does not happen overnight, it is something that develops over time.
Be consistent in your behaviour and actions and don’t shy away from making decisions. Indecisiveness is not a good look when it comes to establishing credibility. Demonstrate your competence and that you get the job done. Develop where you need to develop. Be clear with your communications and make sure your messages are understood. Adapt your communication style appropriately to your audience.
How have you established credibility as a leader? Do you walk the talk, or is it do as I say not as I do?
Reliability
It goes without saying, to be trusted as a leader you need to be reliable. In her research, Elena L. Botelho, co-author of The CEO Next Door found that reliability doubles your chances of getting hired and increases your chances of success by 15 times.
Be a person of your word. If you commit to something and it looks like you are not going to deliver in time, communicate this with sufficient notice.
A reliable leader is someone people know they can depend on and trust. This does not mean that you are a pushover. Develop clear boundaries, so people know where they stand. If you say you’re going to do something, do it, don’t be letting people down.
In any relationship trust is crucial, and establishing trust needs to start well before you walk into the room for that promotion interview. The above will help in you establishing trust and demonstrating that you are trustworthy.
What can you do to ensure that your reputation of trustworthiness precedes you?
If having read this series and you want my support to help you nail your senior leadership promotion, schedule a call with me at http://bit.ly/explorationsessioncarol and I will let you know how I can help.
First published on LinkedIn.
If you are an introverted woman and a senior leader and want to increase your confidence, influence and impact, take my free assessment and get a report identifying areas to develop. You can take the assessment here.