Building Trust Through Language: Part 3

This is the last video in our series on building trust through language choice. In our first segment, we explored choosing your language. Then, in part two, we discussed leaning away from that choice as a means to connect. Today’s focus? Speaking the language of others. A first step is to work to speak the … Read more

Building Trust Through Language: Part 2

This is part two of our discussion on building trust through language. Last week we talked about identifying our preferred languages and how they show up. This week, I want to encourage you to try leaning away from those comfortable languages and styles. We all have tendencies that can help us but also hold us … Read more

Building Trust Through Language: Part 1

This week, I’m introducing the topic of “building trust through language.” The words and mannerisms we use reveal a lot about our priorities and preferred communication styles. Depending on the “language” we naturally speak, it can either help us connect with others or potentially cause some misunderstandings. Connection leads to trust, so let’s make sure … Read more

Build Trust by Being Open

Trust is a big topic for us in 2024, and there’s a lot we can do to make things better. Less than half of us trust our bosses, and even fewer trust the top leaders, even though almost everyone agrees trust is super important. One thing we need more of is being open and honest, … Read more

Build Trust in 2024: Respect the Great Renegotiation

Let’s dive deeper into trust by adapting to workplace changes. In 2024, over half of leaders reported a lack of full trust in their superiors. This reflects the seismic shifts we’ve experienced—from remote to hybrid work and the ongoing debates about returning to the office. The essence of this discussion? The “great renegotiation” of our … Read more

Build Trust in 2024 by Delivering on Time

A significant factor eroding trust is the failure to deliver, whether it’s products to customers or resources to colleagues, often due to overly optimistic promises. To rebuild and maintain trust, here’s a straightforward plan: 1. **Pause Overpromising:** If we can’t guarantee delivery, it’s better not to promise. Let’s set realistic expectations from the start. For … Read more

Trust: A 2024 Priority for Leaders

There is a concerning trend in the world of leadership. A recent global forecast shows some alarming numbers: fewer than half of managers actually trust their own bosses, and the trust towards senior leaders is even lower, with less than a third of leaders feeling confident in their top-tier executives. Think about this. Trust is … Read more

Role Power Versus Relationship Power: Does it hold up?

A while back, I advised leaders to focus more on building strong relationships and less on using their role power. This idea is still important today. You can see my original post here. It used to be easier to give examples of role power — people could be bossy, “my way or the highway”, and … Read more

Does it hold up? Can you really manage up?

About seven years ago, I wrote a piece about managing up, and loaded it up with thoughts that hold up, and I want to lift out the best parts, since the original version was a bit too long. 1: Before seeking influence with your own manager, consider how safe you make it for your own … Read more

How Would I Put Myself out of Business Today?

In fall of 2016, I learned about a simple technique to explore business weaknesses with your team. Ask them this: “If you were a competitor, how would could you put us out of business?” I was very excited about this at the time — I shared it with clients, used it with Group Dynamic, and … Read more