4 Ways to Build Trust in the Workplace

Your ability to build trust in your team is essential if you are to empower them and achieve the results that will make you build confidence in yours and their abilities.

Trust is needed in every aspect of performance in an organization and affects many aspects ranging from increased productivity, efficient management, job satisfaction, employee engagement and staff development. However, when there is organizational change trust becomes the most important aspect of a company to ensure the change succeeds.

Model the Behavior You Seek

Nothing speaks more loudly about the culture of an organization than the leader’s behavior, which influences employee action and has the potential to drive their results. If you say teamwork is important, reinforce the point by collaborating across teams and functions. Give credit when people do great work and you’ll set the stage for an appreciative culture.

Be Consistent

Consistently doing what you say you’ll do builds trust over time – it can’t be something you do only occasionally. Keeping commitments must be the essence of your behavior, in all relationships, day after day and year after year.

Listen to Their Concerns

Leadership is not a one-way process; you must allow for team members to offer ideas and give their opinions. Only then will they buy into what you are trying to achieve in the department and give their best. This will engender higher levels of communication, making the interactions between you more open and, hence, building that trust.

Be Honest and Supportive

Even when it’s difficult, tell the truth and not just what you think people want to hear. Understand what employees need to know and communicate facts while being considerate of their effort and sensitive to their feelings. Showing support and understanding for your team members, even when mistakes are made. It goes a long way in building trust as a leader.

Trust must be earned. It comes from conscious effort to walk your talk, keep your promises and align your behavior with your values. Building trust is worth the effort because once trust is lost, it can be very difficult to recover.

Without trust in the workplace, communication and teamwork will erode. Additionally, morale will decrease while turnover will rise. However, by using these strategies, you can build your employees’ trust in management, thereby making their workplace an environment filled with innovation, creativity and ultimately higher profits for all.

10 Ways to Boost Empowerment in the Workplace

An empowered workforce is something that is highly desirable in an improvement culture. Your employees are the backbone of your business. Empowering your employees will help ensure they remain engaged, and willing to perform to the best of their ability. Unfortunately, just because we want it, it doesn't make it so.

Empowering your employees involves providing them with a level of trust as well as permission to make certain decisions on their own, in order to fulfill their responsibilities within your organization and to further your company’s goals. Empowered employees are more confident in their role within the company as well as their longevity with your organization. This increases motivation and productivity – it can also help lower turnover. An employee who feels empowered in their role tends to be more satisfied in their position and more loyal to their employer.

Leaders of the organization must create the conditions for empowerment.  Here are 10 ways to boost empowerment in your workplace:

1. Be clear in your communication. When you express goals or explain projects, be sure the employees really understand what you are asking for. If the goals are unclear then the employees are not sure what they are being asked to do.

2. Eliminate barriers, restrictions and layers of protocol. The more steps, individuals, policies and departments employees have to work through to get results, the more frustrating and disempowering things actually are. Use cross-training, multi-department teams and projects, and trainings to help break down the boundaries and barriers that may exist between employees and departments.

3. Allow employees to suggest better ways of getting their jobs done. Ask for employee suggestions for other ways of getting the task or project accomplished. Listen and be willing to really hear the employees' comments. Employees hate to have no input and be told exactly how to perform their jobs, leaving no creativity.

4. Show you have trust in your employees. Allow them to make mistakes as a form of learning. Show that it is really OK to make mistakes. Trust that people have the right intentions and will make the right decisions, even if they are different than your own. Let them know you really support their decisions.

5. Encourage and reward improvement and innovation. Employees may be afraid to offer insight and new ways of doing things because the company culture doesn't support them. If you really want to empower employees, you'll need to create a company culture that encourages and rewards innovation. You may start by asking individuals to look for ways to improve efficiency, output, safety, etc. in the tasks they perform every day.

6. Listen. Listen. Listen. Do you do most of the talking? Be open to communication and ask your employees questions. They can demonstrate what they know and grow in the process.

7. Share leadership's vision. Help people feel they are a part of something bigger than themselves or their job by sharing your company's overall vision. Tell your employees the most important goals for your organization and let them know of the progress towards those goals

8. Allow employees to actively participate in team and company goals.  Look for every opportunity to include employees at every level of the organization, in being active participants. Employees can't be involved with one-way directives.

9. Be a coach. The best way to empower employees is not to manage them. Coach them to success. This is a process of developing their skills and providing them specific feedback to meet high standards. Employees want to be on the same team with their bosses. Be their coach and lead the team to success!

10. Communication. The key to empowerment is communication. Give every employee equal and direct access to information. Many companies have developed a trickle-down style of communication that alienates those employees who may not be "in the loop." The more informed employees are and the more communication is open, honest, direct and complete, the more likely employees are to feel empowered and connected to the daily operations and overall goals of their company.

Employee empowerment is at heart of any transformative journey—an essential element of today’s dynamic workplace culture. By entrusting employees with authority, resources, and responsibility, organizations unleash their full potential, inspiring them to take bold initiatives and make impactful decisions.

Empowerment takes time. Empowerment requires patience as we help develop and advance people’s skills. Empowerment means turning your stakeholders into shareholders by allowing them to take ownership and invest in the vision.

Lean Quote: Do or Do Not. There is No Try

On Fridays I will post a Lean related Quote. Throughout our lifetimes many people touch our lives and leave us with words of wisdom. These can both be a source of new learning and also a point to pause and reflect upon lessons we have learned. Within Lean active learning is an important aspect on this journey because without learning we can not improve.

"Do or do not. There is no try."  — Yoda, Star Wars Jedi 

Yoda's quote "Do or do not. There is no try" conveys a mindset focused on commitment and determination. It suggests that simply trying can imply a lack of conviction or half-hearted effort. Instead of merely attempting something with the possibility of failure, Yoda advocates for a full commitment to either accomplishing the task or not engaging in it at all.

"Try" is self-denigrating. It essentially means that you are not capable of doing a certain task - or at the very least lack the necessary self-confidence to do it. It implies you are not sure if you can do it.

By eliminating the word try, you make up your mind to either do something or not. You will either ignore the task completely or do whatever is necessary to complete the task. It implies that you will have the necessary perseverance in the face of any obstacles that may emerge.

By eliminating the word try, you are declaring that you are capable of doing the task and that you have the self-confidence to fight whatever might stop you from completing it.

This perspective doesn't necessarily mean that trying is worthless; rather, it emphasizes the importance of intention and dedication. In a broader sense, it encourages individuals to take decisive action and to fully commit to their goals, aiming for success rather than just going through the motions. The quote can inspire a proactive approach to challenges, highlighting the value of perseverance and belief in one's capabilities. 

Happy Independence Day – Lean’s Freedom Lesson

Today, we celebrate Independence Day in the US. The 4th of July is an extremely patriotic holiday where we celebrate the independence of our country. People celebrate with family and friend gatherings, barbecues, parties, games, food, fun, festivals, parades, musical events and fireworks.

Freedom is not just the natural right of every human. It is the state of mind that enables people to create the greatest and the most inspiring things. The spirit of freedom gives us the power to conquer new heights, whether it is a real mountain peak or a bold business challenge.

Lean is all about finding better ways to do things, so that they require less effort, less time and fewer resources. It is not about cost reduction – penny-pinching, cutting investment, taking out people – it is about finding better ways to get work done. It is about developing a mindset, methods, and tools to identify and eliminate waste in all its forms at every opportunity. It is about freeing up resources because you no longer need to use them.

Lean manufacturing provides your workforce the freedom that they need to own and maximize their productivity. In a Lean production plant, the "freedom to control one's work" replaces the "mind numbing stress" of mass production. Armed with the skills they need to control their environment workers have the opportunity to think actively, even proactively to solve workplace problems.

Lean is more than the traditional metrics of improved efficiency, reduced costs and increased throughput. The people-centric approach to the application of Lean creates a better future, driven by empowered individuals working in teams, committed to continuous improvement. It is this culture of responsible freedom and trust that allows employees and their organization to realize the positive benefits of Lean and achieve a successful outcome.

Lean Manufacturing is a business method that extends employees independence.  It provides more employees with the tools, methods, and authority to make decisions. It creates teams to measure progress and devise new techniques. This leads to higher employee motivation and productivity as workers are asked to come up with solutions to problems as opposed to having to work with flawed procedures. There is much to be said for greater worker independence in the execution of a lean philosophy. We may not have a day to celebrate like the US but the message is no less important.

The 3 Things That Keep People Feeling Motivated At Work

As part of TED’s ‘How to be a Better Human’ series, two researchers, Richard Ryan and Edward Deci, developed an idea called ‘self-determination theory’. Self-determination theory essentially argued that people are motivated when they can determine for themselves what to work on and how to work on it.

Below, I’ll outline the three main drivers of motivation according to self-determination theory — autonomy, competence, and relatedness — and I’ll provide practical ways to leverage the power of each.

1) Autonomy

This refers to how much people feel they can influence the work they do or control the output and outcome. It outlines how much say a person has in the way they do something.

The opposite, of course, is being micro-managed. If micro-management is about being told what to do and how to do it, autonomy is getting the person involved in deciding how it’s going to be done and showing creative initiative to get there.

·        Analyze how many times you ‘tell’ people what to do, versus how many times you ‘involve’ them in decision-making.

·        Mutually assign tasks and objectives for people, identifying and agreeing deadlines

·        Give them more freedom on how the task is completed, within certain guidelines.

·        Communicate the progress people are making to achieve the goals they are set.

2) Competence

We’ve always stated that a vital aspect of people’s drive is to learn, grow and develop. Becoming ‘better at stuff’ is one of the keys to motivation, so assist and support in helping team members to develop their skills.

·        Limit the amount of constructive criticism you offer. The research showed there were links between poor feedback mechanisms and poor motivation.

·        Share successes with people so they can see how much they’ve grown by taking more responsibility.

·        Give positive feedback when you can, specifying exactly what you are happy with so it can be repeated.

·        Look for opportunities to get your people learning and developing on the job, not just on training courses.

3) Relatedness

The research showed that, when people feel a connection between what they do and the bigger picture they are serving, there is an increase in motivation.

·        Ensure team members have opportunities to connect with others, even on a virtual basis.

·        Show people how the role they play interacts and contributes to others’ work, hence reducing the impacts of silos within the business.

·        Create a connection between their role and the mission of the organization.

·        Allow people to interact with each other more, so the feeling of belonging is enhanced.

Relatedness refers to the sense of feeling worthwhile and being able to contribute to the overall goals of each other as well as the company. You can naturally see how and why this would be a key driver of motivation.

When people have the ability to determine how they work, the means to judge their progress and the feeling that their work helps other people, they can’t help but be motivated to get to work.

Empower Your Employees With the Right Mindset

Empowerment. It’s a word often said, a goal, a value, a hallmark of modern leadership. Yet it may be one of those leadership principles that can be misunderstood and difficult to put into action. Especially, when we are talking about empowerment at work.

Create an empowering environment by fostering trust and respect. An empowering leader is a wise teammate. They create the space where great work gets done. To become a teammate, leaders must truly know your team members, their goals, and their strengths. They must understand their sense of purpose and work to support them in achieving it.

For employees to be empowered, they must be part of the conversation. Employees must participate in discussions on achieving current goals and setting new goals. Doing so will enable them to develop a personal stake in these goals and successfully fulfill them. Employees should also be encouraged to participate in shaping new ideas and strategies.

By being part of big-picture conversations, employees feel worthy and valuable to the team's success.

Align individuals to organizational goals. An organization still has a “why” that drives the work and value of the organization. Empowerment derives from having relevant information.

To bolster empowerment at work, ensure team members understand the goals of the organization. Enable them to connect their contributions to these goals. Show them how and why their work matters.

Provide feedback so they will know when they have been successful. Aligning individual and organizational goals means coaching team members to unleash their strengths in service of organizational goals.

Redefine accountability. Individual accountability is at the core of empowerment, but how we define it is important. 

Accountability here means a commitment to achieving organizational goals. But it also allows for risk-taking and new approaches that might lead to temporary setbacks and failures. Accountability includes supporting team members in learning from these moments. It means refocusing their efforts towards the goals using new knowledge and experience.

Practice self-awareness. A leader may discover she feels uncomfortable with releasing power to others.  Feelings like “what if they get it wrong?” or “I don’t feel like I’m adding any value” can be challenging for leaders who may then inadvertently act in a disempowering way.  Empowering leaders know themselves well. They keep tabs on their inner dialogue to guard against disempowering actions.

Employee empowerment in the workplace is the key to unlocking the full potential of your organization. Empowered employees are more productive, engaged, and committed to achieving their goals. In addition, they feel valued and respected, which creates a better work environment for everyone. To create a workplace empowerment culture, you need to start by clarifying roles and responsibilities, providing necessary resources, delegating authority effectively, and cultivating a flexible work environment.

The Unexpected Benefit of Celebrating Failure

Many people shy away from failure. There’s constant wonder and worry about what will happen to an individual when they fail, especially in their place of work. However, celebrating failure can and often brings unexpected success. I want to share a TedTalk by the Head of X (formerly Google X), Astro Teller, where he introduces the “Moonshot Factory” where his team works to solve the world’s biggest problems, and celebrates failure as a necessity for success.

Here are a few tips from today’s TedTalk:

• Run at the most challenging parts of the problem at hand first. Failures will often lead you to the path of success.
• Shift your perspective. Sometimes shifting your perspective is more powerful than being smart or right.
• Encourage the path of least resistance. Make it a safe space to fail and reward and celebrate failures. This can come in the form of hugs, high-fives, applause, promotions, or even bonuses.

Encouraging teams to take on only the most ambitious projects and allowing them to fail at them is what leads to profoundly amazing things. At X, that means celebrating teams that kill their good projects. These teams are applauded, literally, in front of the rest of the organization. They receive bonuses and vacations for recognizing that their project will fail to be great. And for newcomers to X, this can all seem a little odd.

But as a leader, Teller considers himself a “culture engineer” and believes strongly in the power of social norms. Creating a set of social norms that promote psychological safety is key to getting the best from your team. Teller said that most teams “don't think it's safe to tell you that the business plan that you asked them to make isn't really great. It's just good. Wouldn't that be amazing if they would actually tell you that, because you don't want them working on something that's good but not great. You want to unleash them, but you have to know first. And you're not operationally enough in the details to even know. They're the only people who really know.”

I hope that this TedTalk inspires you to celebrate your failures and to create an environment that encourages the path of least resistance.