Trust

Positioning Others in a Positive Light Makes a Difference

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Last week’s column covered suggestions on how to not create a we/they culture. Today’s column is about the power a person has when he or she positions individuals and the organization in a positive way. I am focusing lots of time on helping organizations build trust in senior leaders. In my work, I share that a new employee’s coworkers hold the early key to trust. In the new employee orientation, the person hears about the mission and…
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We/They Communication: When It Works and When It Does Not

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There is a place for we/they communication, but it’s not in the business world. We/they motivates individuals and groups when there are two sides to the equation. It is commonplace in politics and sports. A coach may use comments from the other team to motivate their team and win the game. A politician may use we/they positioning to get out the vote. However, inside an organization where everyone is on the same team, it is…
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Silence Is Support…and Other Truths Learned From Life | Healthcare Plus Solutions Group

Silence Is Support…and Other Truths Learned From Life

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My writings come from life experiences. As I reflect on my recent experiences in the field, here are a few items that come to mind. Silence can be interpreted as support or agreement. At times, that is correct, but not always. A person may say to their coworkers, “We never know what is going on around here.” While the coworkers may feel that statement is not accurate, they remain silent. The person then believes the others…
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Four Trust-Busting Mistakes to Avoid

Four Trust-Busting Mistakes to Avoid

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Hopefully, our series of posts on creating cultures of trust has been helpful for you. Over the past couple of months, we’ve focused on some powerful trust building tactics. While I prefer sticking to the positive, it is important to acknowledge the “misses” as well as the wins. That’s why I’m sharing a few stumbling blocks to avoid: Not maximizing your onboarding system. By reassuring new employees that you’re here to help them through the…
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10 Encouraging Signs You're Creating a Culture of Trust

10 Encouraging Signs You’re Creating a Culture of Trust

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Building trust between leaders and employees (and vice versa) is an ongoing effort. Like all culture change, it doesn’t happen overnight. The work of trust building never “done.” Once earned, trust needs to be nurtured daily. However, there are encouraging signs that you’re on the right track. Here are some of the most noticeable: There’s a sense of belonging and camaraderie. People are welcoming to new hires. Coworker relationships seem friendly and people want to…
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Three Powerhouse Trust Builders to Consider

Three Powerhouse Trust Builders to Consider

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I’ve been diving deep into research on trust lately. When trust is present in an organization great things happen. There’s less anxiety. There’s more comfort in sharing concerns. This leads to people more freely sharing suggestions on how to make things better and staff are more likely to stay. Trust takes a long time to build and a short time to lose. Lots of factors are involved. In fact, there’s so much to say that Dr. Katherine…
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A Quick Technique for Building Trust with Employees

A Quick Technique for Building Trust with Employees

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In thriving healthcare organizations, trusting relationships are a foundational piece of the culture. Trust is mutual: we tend to trust people who also trust us. That’s why one of the best ways for leaders to build trust is to show trust. Here is an action that demonstrates trust: When working on a problem, ask employees for help. Share a situation or a challenge and ask employees “What do you think?” Some people will need more time. Ask them to think about the…
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Asking versus telling builds trust.

Asking versus telling builds trust.

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Looking to spark a trust-building conversation with someone you lead? Start with a question. Asking (not telling) builds rapport, fosters psychological safety, and makes people feel heard and valued. It’s a great way to show them you care about their thoughts and ideas. In the book I wrote in collaboration with Dr. Katherine Meese–The Human Margin: Building the Foundations of Trust—we share a list of trust-building questions leaders can ask during rounding and at other…
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Building trust isn’t just the leader’s job

Building trust isn’t just the leader’s job

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We know good leader communication is a powerful trust builder. A point that sometimes gets missed is that, just like trust, communication is a two-way street. Recently we looked at what leaders can do to improve their odds of being heard …. but what can the employees do to make sure they hear and act on those messages? A few tips: Meet with employees and ask: “What does good communication look like?” Go around the room and…
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You said it - but did they hear it? 3 musts for high-trust messaging

You said it—but did they hear it? 3 musts for high-trust messaging

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I was fortunate to get to collaborate with Dr. Katherine A. Meese, Ph.D on a book that shares research on why trust is front and center in today’s workplace. (If you’re interested it’s called The Human Margin: Building the Foundations of Trust.) One of its main points is that the better leaders are at communication, the more employees will trust them. Over the years I’ve learned that even when we think we’ve communicated a message,…
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