Without your employees’ trust, you will not succeed as a leader!
Are you trustworthy in the eyes of your employees? And is that even important? Learn more here. In a moment, the concept of ‘being on the same wavelength’ will have a whole new meaning for you ...
Jes Graugaard
You have probably heard people around you say things like “I don’t quite trust him” or “My gut tells me …”. This may sound flimsy, but there is actually more to these kinds of opinions than you might think. And if you are a manager, this might be a key factor to your success.
Trust as fuel
A study by Kimberly Schaufenbuel from UNC Kenan-Flagler Business School shows that the as many as 14 centers light up in the brain of employees talking to a manager they trust. When they literally feel on the same wavelength because there is trust. In this case, it is essential to distinguish between predictable trust and vulnerability-based trust.
Being a reliable and predictable manager is not enough. It is vulnerability-based trust that really gets us on the same wavelength – when we know that our managers have the best intentions, and we see that there is room for vulnerability. This is when ‘the right centers’ in the brain are activated – the centers that activate attention, strengthen relationships, and enhance learning. In other words, you achieve ‘resonance’ – a ‘sweet spot’ where both teamwork, product development, change processes, and other organizational processes grow, and you can deliver amazing results together.
Without trust, nobody listens
You are probably also familiar with the opposite situation, where the employees don’t experience trust. And that’s much less fun. In this case, 11 of the 14 brain systems mentioned above shut down. In addition, six other centers that work against the constructive working climate by increasing mistrust and reservations are activated. Under these circumstances, you get ‘dissonance’, which means that the employees are not receptive to learning and change. As a manager, you will find yourself facing a wall of skepticism and reactive behavior – and then it’s all uphill from there!
