Leadership Trust – It’s Not Rocket Science

Earlier this year, I had the opportunity to attend a conference in which the keynote speaker was from the Covey Institute and did a presentation on The Speed of Trust.  I walked away from that presentation with a sense of energy I hadn’t felt in a while.  This is a subject I feel passionate about, particularly when it comes to leadership.  It’s not rocket science, but many leaders seem to struggle with building trust in the workplace.

​I was struck with how Covey had broken down key elements into a practical framework. As soon as I was back from the conference I went out and bought his book.  If you are interested in delving more into this subject, I would recommend picking up a copy of “The Speed of Trust” by Stephen M. R. Covey for a more in depth read.

Reading the book prompted me to do some reflection on some of the high trust and low trust relationships I have had in the workplace and what makes those easy or hard.  The contrast between the two is significant in how you end up approaching your work and often the differences comes down to communication.  In high trust relationships, communication flows easily and free.  In low trust relationships, communication is challenging and guarded.
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In Covey’s book, he states it well in this way, “The difference between a high and low trust relationship is palpable!  Take communication.  In a high-trust relationship, you can say the wrong thing and people will still get your meaning.  In a low-trust relationship, you can be very measured, even precise, and they’ll still misinterpret you.” Exactly!

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