Inspiring Trust in Others

People are capable of incredible things, but it is often lost that many of their accomplishments are not done alone. Did Steve Jobs create the iPod by himself? Of course not! He had a team of engineers that was able to bring his vision to life. If leaders like Steve Jobs or Bill Gates were unable to trust others, who knows what today’s technology would look like. Inspiring trust in others is a great foundation for a successful business.

It Takes a Village

You may have heard the saying “it takes a village to ____.” This rings true in most facets of life, and especially when it comes to running a company. As a child, you were taught by your parents, teachers, friends, and other family members. As adults we often consult our aging parents for advice, look to friends for help, and hire professionals for things we don’t know how to accomplish ourselves.

Considering that so many others help and influence you throughout your life, shouldn’t those same principles be applied to your business? The same way you might trust your friends to help you re-shingle your roof — an extremely important component of your home — you should be equally willing to delegate responsibilities to others at your work. When you show trust in your employees, it takes the burden off your plate, gives them the opportunity to grow, and gives your business the pliability to thrive.

Working Together

Trusting your employees to complete tasks does several amazing things you might not be aware of:

• It builds morale
• It frees up time for you to take on other tasks
• Develops a strong team bond
• Develops leadership skills in your employees
• Creates a culture of respect

Inspiring trust goes beyond delegating work. Leaders also need to be able to take feedback and constructive criticism to correct any errors that your employees may catch. You also have to be willing to do the same for your employees in a constructive manner. By holding your team members accountable, and doing the same for you, you inspire an environment of trust in the workplace. Every relationship, whether personal or professional, needs to be built on a foundation of trust. Your business will thrive in ways you might not ever have known were possible when you trust your employees, and they trust you to lead them.

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