Everyone in management is also, by extension, a coach! To be a great coach, it is crucial that you have the trust of your team. “Trust is the glue of life. It’s the most essential ingredient in effective communication. It’s the foundational principle that holds all relationships.” – Stephen R. Covey
Trust is not a constant, so it’s something that requires vigilant focus. When the level of trust changes, either for the better or the worse, it impacts the relationship in some way. Unfortunately, a survey released by the Harvard Business Review found that 58% of people say they trust strangers more than their own boss! It’s been found that a team works more efficiently and effectively when there is a sense of trust among teammates and with the manager.
There are four basic building blocks of trust. Those include:
- Knowledge and Experience – Most people who are just starting out in a position begin with a fairly low trust score. This is usually because you do not yet have or the team is not aware of your knowledge and experience level. As your knowledge and experience grow, so will the level of trust your team has in you.
- Transparency – Sometimes transparency can earn trust that even knowledge and experience cannot reach! Some great ways to encourage transparency include keeping promises, being honest and open, giving feedback and acknowledging failure when it happens.
- Employee First, Job Second – A great coach will put people first. It may even mean putting his or her own interests aside to help your employees achieve their goals and development. To put the employee first, remember to encourage autonomy, welcome feedback and recognize the work of others.
- Personal Accountability – An effective coach will step up and be personally accountable for the team and for their management decisions. Personal accountability is evident when a manager is honest, initiates change, takes responsibility and seeks input.
Believe it or not, failure is a valuable tool and should not be eliminated! A coach who allows for failure will be more successful in the long run than one who eliminates it. Managers who lead so rigidly that employees are afraid to fail will negatively impact trust and will end up with a team who does not grow.
If you’ve ever had any property manager training, you may have learned that there are some major differences between being a manager and being a leader. For example:
- A manager creates goals while a leader creates vision.
- A manager copies others while a leader is unique.
- A manager controls risks while a leader takes risks.
- A manager builds systems and processes while a leader builds relationships.
- A manager directs people while a leader coaches people and provides multifamily education.
- A manager maintains status while a leader works to make change.
All of these tips will help you to earn, maintain and even grow trust from your team. And trust is the secret ingredient of effective coaching and leadership!
Presented by:
Maria Lawson
Ellis Partners in Management Solutions (EPMS)
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