THE PROBLEM WITH TRUST
In today's world it seems as though trust is a thing of the past. We live in an age of tamper-proof containers, bulletproof receptionist stations, computer passwords, non-disclosure agreements and interminable security checkpoints. I recently found myself wondering (as I waded through yet another airport security line) ... is it harder for people to trust others these days? Does suspicion routinely taint relationships between managers and employees? Does it threaten teamwork and company allegiance? Is it even realistic to expect trust and loyalty in modern organizations?

There's a trial currently underway in Atlanta that underscores the problem with trust in our present climate. A former employee at Coca Cola is accused of offering to handover trade secrets (including Coke's top-secret formula) to soft drink rival Pepsi. To Pepsi's great credit, when they were offered the proprietary information they immediately and honorably contacted Coca Cola and the authorities. According to media reports, the employee was trying to betray her employer because she was angry at the way her boss was treating her!

We may never know all the details (some of the testimony will be secret) but the story isn't hard to believe. Employees often find it hard to trust their superiors. And workers are increasingly skeptical of authority figures. No wonder managers today find it tough to build and maintain trusting relationships with their subordinates. And when frontline leaders don't deal with their people in an honest manner, whatever bonds of trust may have existed soon break down.

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"Whoever is careless with the truth in small matters cannot be trusted with the important matters." - Albert Einstein

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SETTING THE WRONG EXAMPLE
What happens when leaders are seen as untrustworthy? A new research study out of Florida State University sheds some interesting light on that question. Wayne Hochwater, FSU Associate Professor of Management, and his colleagues surveyed more than 700 people to look at how supervisors were treating their employees (www.fsu.com/pages/2006/12/04/BigBadBoss.html). A surprising (and disturbing) proportion of the employees were saddled with dishonest bosses:

• 37% said that their supervisor failed to give credit when due.
  
• 39% complained that their supervisor failed to keep promises.
  
• 27% believed that their supervisor made negative comments about them to other employees or managers.
  
• 24% alleged that their supervisor invaded their privacy.
  
• 23% indicated that their supervisor blames others to cover up mistakes or to minimize embarrassment.

To look at it another way, the results suggest that as many as 1/3 of all supervisors may be guilty of engaging in dishonest and distrustful behaviors with their employees. The study authors also looked at the impact of those behaviors. They found that the employees of dishonest supervisors tended to suffer more from job tension, exhaustion, depression and mistrust. The employees were also less satisfied with their jobs and less likely to take on additional tasks or work extra hours. The lesson is clear: distrust begets distrust and disloyalty begets disloyalty.

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"When you're part of a team, you stand up for your teammates. Your loyalty is to them. You protect them through good and bad, because they'd do the same for you." - Yogi Berra

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THE NEW FACE OF LOYALTY
A lot of organizations used to think that loyalty was a one-way street . . . believing employees only remained loyal for money and benefits. Vibrant Entrepreneurial Organizations know that financial incentives alone aren't enough to assure loyalty. Leaders in a VEO create employee loyalty by communicating in a forthright manner, by making sure employees are well trained and by listening attentively to employee input. Clear-cut goals, team spirit and an environment of trust are the hallmarks of this type of leadership. To create a VEO you have to:

• Stretch Your Employees -- seek to challenge, inspire, and enhance your people. Create ways for them to use their unique skills and talents to advance the company's vision.
  
  
• Support Your Employees - Make sure they get the resources and support they need to accomplish their goals. Look for opportunities that allow employees to grow and develop.
  
  
• Provide Work/Life Balance - Remember that your employees are complete human beings, not worker drones. They want to know that you value their personal life as well as what they bring to the company.
  
  
• Model Appropriate Behavior - Model balanced behavior, for one thing, but also model good listening, trust, open communications, consideration and respect. Set a good example and you signal to your employees that they matter.

I'm not saying a Vibrant Entrepreneurial Organization can be created overnight. Transforming culture is never easy, but we have a number of tools that can help you make the transition. One of the best values we've ever offered is our "All-in-One" bundle, which includes six of our most popular eBooks and one CD, all for one low price. It covers many of the tips, secrets, tactics and tools you'll need to create that foundation of trust that's necessary for building a VEO! For more information visit www.keygroupconsulting.com/veoproducts.htm

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