Trust is a stabilizing force in our lives; when you present yourself as trustworthy, you diminish the negative effects of uncertainty; by being trustworthy, you help people open their minds and share their ideas, according to Amy Lyman in her book The Trustworthy Leader: Leveraging the Power of Trust to Transform Your Organization. The author was co-founder of the Great Place to Work Institute, which surveys the quality of relationships between employees and their leaders, and much of the content of the book is based on interviews with leaders from organizations identified as high-trust workplaces.
Three key characteristics found in trustworthy leaders are credibility, respect and fairness. According to the author, such leaders consistently follow a pattern which she calls the Virtuous Circle of Trustworthy Leadership, which has the following six elements:
- Honour: Trustworthy leaders feel honoured for being asked to lead, and acknowledge the responsibility that comes with it
- Inclusion: Trustworthy leaders are inclusive towards everyone in the organization’s community
- Value and engage followers: Trustworthy leaders connect with followers as people, learn from them and support their contributions
- Sharing information: Trustworthy leaders give employees access to useful information and invite them into the discussion
- Developing others: Trustworthy leaders help employees to learn, grow, and discover their talents
- Movement through uncertainty to pursue opportunities: Trustworthy leaders have the support of employees in trying novel approaches and finding the best way forward
Although the author has made no ground-breaking discoveries, the book does provide an interesting new perspective on the key factors which contribute to trustworthiness in leaders, and makes a strong case for the proposition that a good leader is a virtuous one. I did not find the book to be as engrossing as some other business books, but it does provide helpful insights for those who have leadership roles.