The magical link between confident leaders + engaged employees

Your team follows you because they trust you. But if you break that trust, your culture and bottom line will suffer. Insecure leadership is a big culprit, so watch out for these trust killers:

Knowing everything

No-one likes a know-it-all. You feel like everything you suggest is going to have a rebuttal. Sadly, when leaders think they have all the answers their teams eventually stop challenging ideas. Resentment builds below the surface as people are never allowed to own ideas and run with them. As a result, they no longer trust their leaders because they don’t feel validated. Below are some typical know-everything examples:

• You always have the final say
• You think you have all the answers
• Your team can’t take ownership for initiatives

Tip: Brainstorm together and let someone else lead the charge and own the execution.

Controlling everything

There is a fine line between control and letting go because certain things need a measure of control to achieve the desired outcome. But when it becomes stifling for those you lead, you have a problem. If you surround yourself with capable people who are good at their specific designations, you won’t have to micromanage them. Show you trust them, and they will trust you. Below are some typical control-everything examples:

• You need to be the centre of everything
• Your team never gets to learn by making mistakes
• Roles and responsibilities are unclear

Tip: Give your team the tools to succeed without you.

Avoiding everything

Everyone has heard of the elephant in the room – the issue people go to great lengths to avoid. However, it won’t magically resolve itself and disappear. You have to deal with it. If left unchecked, the issue will damage your culture.

Your team sees that you are more concerned with tasks and output and less with their well-being or cohesion as a team. This approach not only robs them of their confidence in you, but it robs you of your confidence in dealing with the issue at hand. Below are some typical avoid-everything examples:

• You don’t deal with hard issues
• You’re seen as unapproachable
• You focus on tasks, not relationships

Tip: Deal with conflict based on your company’s values and vision to avoid character assassinations.

Final thoughts:

Confident leaders know they don’t know everything. They work hard to empower their team with guidance, training and the right tools. Lead with confidence, and your team will trust you. If they trust you, they will be engaged. If they are engaged, they will deliver results.

HOW WE CAN HELP YOU COMMUNICATE EFFECTIVELY

We work with leaders and entrepreneurs to simplify key messaging like business strategies, change processes and customer value propositions onto one page. This becomes a blueprint for ongoing successful communication. The benefits to you:

• Clarity for your audience
• Easier to share across multiple channels
• More time in your diary