Whether you are a small business person or a corporate executive, getting the best work out of your people is one of the most challenging aspects of leadership. It takes more than attractive compensation packages and inspirational pep talks. It takes creating a culture of trust that unites people together around a common desire to give their best. Here are five steps any leader can take to build a relationship of trust with their team. 

1. Believe in them, so they will believe in themselves

Every person that works for you has something to teach you. If you are open to learning from them they will gain the confidence to do their best work as partners with you.

2. Free them to do their best work

Don’t micro-manage them. To do so sends two messages. Your lack of confidence in them. And, your lack of confidence in yourself. Remember people can smell the fear in leaders, and will respond accordingly. Be clear in expectations. Let them do it.

3. Trust them

Trust is hard to win, easy to lose. Trust everyone until you have a real reason not to. Be constant and consistent in trusting them. Train and supervise with trust in mind and a culture of trust will grow.

4. Thank them personally

Gratitude is not a reward. It is appreciation. It is hard to be grateful if you don’t know them personally, by name, and what their work for the company is. Gratitude has its greatest impact when it is least expected. Making it personal, makes it real.

5. Honor them

This is part gratitude, but more the way you treat both individuals and teams with dignity and respect. Remember, they don’t work for you, but for your customers. You work for them to create an environment of belief, freedom, trust and gratitude that enables them to do their best work. This is what leaders do.

Dr. Ed Brenegar is a Leader for Leaders working with individuals, their teams, organizations and communities who find themselves at a point of transition. Ed has developed an innovative leadership model called, Circle of Impact, that clarifies what the impact of their life or the work of their organization can be. From this perspective, impact is the change that makes a difference that matters. Ed. for over 30 years, has inspired and equipped people and organizations to practice this fresh understanding of leadership. All leadership begins with personal initiative to create impact that makes a difference that matters. Everyone within an organization or a community can, therefore, practice leadership initiative. In so doing, they turn what were once leadership-starved organizations into leader-rich cultures that make a difference that matters.

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