Trust

Leading Without Authority Starts with Trust

Leading Without Authority Starts with Trust

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Some of the most challenging leadership situations occur when we are expected to move important work forward, but the people we need to engage do not report to us. We may be leading a project, working across departments, chairing a committee or council, or simply trying to bring colleagues together around something that matters. Human-Centered Leadership in Healthcare® (HCL-HC) gives us a helpful way to think about this kind of leadership. It begins with Self…
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Pausing: The Leadership Skill We Need in an Instant World

Pausing: The Leadership Skill We Need in an Instant World

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Have you typed a message and quickly hit send, even as your brain is saying, You may want to think about this one first! Most of us have been there. That’s why I wanted to write on restraint (pausing). It’s an important message and one that bears revisiting. My columns often have repeated topics. Why? New readers. I have more than 30,000 subscribers to this column via LinkedIn. Reminders are helpful. Our brain can retain…
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Instead of Pointing a Finger, Hold Out Your Hand

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Instead of pointing a finger, hold out your hand. This statement combines two familiar “hand” metaphors. The first is that when we have one finger pointing out at someone else, three others are pointing back at us. The second is a reference to reaching out to another person to be of help. It is usually better to open the hand. It is easy to point a finger at what is wrong, who is at fault, what could…
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When Funny Isn’t Funny: Rethinking the Zinger

When Funny Isn’t Funny: Rethinking the Zinger

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A zinger can be described as a quick, clever, and sharp remark that often carries a humorous insult. Yet “humorous” can be in the eye of the beholder. While the person delivering the zinger may get laughs, what about the person being zinged? The same is true of sarcasm. Years ago, I delivered what I thought was a funny line. Afterwards, a kind person asked me if I knew what “sarcasm” meant. He then said…
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Leaders, Don’t Underestimate the Impact You Have on Employee Perceptions

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How employees perceive things often depends on their leader. I often speak to organizations that are undergoing a merger or consolidation. (This is happening a lot right now.) In my presentation to the group, I will usually talk about the many benefits of joining a larger system. For example, it gives them access to capital and technology. It lets them leverage their size to save money on supply chain purchases. It helps them standardize things,…
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Don’t Underestimate Recognition; It Keeps Your Culture’s “Well” Full

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“I receive recognition for performance” is a common question on employee engagement surveys. In building a culture of trust, it is a top–five item. This is an area I have spent a large amount of time thinking about, writing about, and presenting on. In college, I was introduced to the work of Marc Gold. During the late 1960s, he formulated a way to help people with significant disabilities learn complex tasks. He called it “Try…
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The “Trust Trilogy”: Three Employee Engagement Survey Questions That Help Measure Trust

The “Trust Trilogy”: Three Employee Engagement Survey Questions That Help Measure Trust

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The Human Margin: Building the Foundations of Trust is a book written by Katherine A. Meese, PhD, and me. Why did we author this book? The research studied by Dr. Meese shows the significant impact trust has on organizational performance. When trust is high, there is better employee retention. Better employee retention leads to better results across the board. As Dr. Meese and I have presented on this topic, it is gratifying to show organizations that…
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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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