By Molly McGee-Hewitt, PhD, CAE NAPT Executive Director & CEO
So often in leadership and hiring, we focus on experience, training, and licenses. School district HR offices verify employment and credentials and ensure that all requirements are checked off. They do an excellent job of confirming that applicants meet the established criteria.
What we often fail to discuss are the leadership skills that are hard to qualify and quantify. This month, we begin a column series on the leadership skills and attributes of successful transportation professionals. For the next twelve months, we will carefully explore these leadership talents that are often incorrectly labeled as “soft skills.”
If we were to design a pyramid outlining the leadership of successful transportation officials, we would start at the bottom with trust. Trust is the foundation of a successful leader. It is a core value that enables leadership to flourish. Trust is a character quality that sustains both your integrity and your career in a myriad of situations.
Without a doubt, the foremost author on this subject is Stephen R. Covey. In The Speed of Trust, he addresses this issue with truth, grace, and facts. While I am a fan of the Covey family, this book is extraordinary. If you are going to read one book this year, make it this one.
Why is trust the foundation? When we trust people, we give them our support, respect, and loyalty. We understand that they are people of their word. When they make a promise or an agreement, they follow through. They do what they say they are going to do and exhibit leadership through both actions and words. You can count on them. You know they are true to their word and that they pay attention. If they are wrong, they admit it and correct it. If they have an issue, they do not gossip or complain; they address it with care and concern.
If you have ever worked in a toxic environment, you know that trust is hard to find. People do not tell the truth. Agreements are not kept. Confidences are shared inappropriately. Who you know may be more important than what you know. Leaders who have a high level of trust from their staff and superiors experience less turnover and earn respect for their units or divisions.
Covey comments that trust builds slowly, one kept promise or agreement at a time. One behavior, comment, or action builds our trust. Lying is not an option for the trust-founded leader. They may be diplomatic in their words or actions, but they exemplify trust every day.
New employees at all levels enter our organizations with a clean slate. They have the opportunity to build their trust base from day one. Trust should become their goal. As they begin their roles, they recognize that their success is contingent on both their ability to do the job and their ability to build support. They build their own future without intentionally damaging the reputation of those who came before them.
In my career, I have worked with some amazing, trusted colleagues and leaders. Watching them navigate challenges in their careers and lives has been a wonderful education. From them, I saw the value of trust and the impact their character had on our team. I believed them, counted on them, and supported them. I knew they appreciated this and reciprocated.
In a toxic environment, I encountered almost the opposite. There was little accountability, a great deal of finger-pointing and blame, and dishonesty was common. To survive, you had to fight to maintain your character. Like the positive examples I witnessed, that toxic experience sharpened my appreciation for trust and strong, positive leadership.
While trust builds slowly, it can be lost in a heartbeat. Distrust occurs when words and actions are in conflict—when you tell one story to one person and a different story to another. One lie or misstep can cause trust to dissolve immediately. Our words and actions have consequences.
It is interesting to me that when people behave in a non-trustworthy manner, they are often loud and aggressive when confronted. They may threaten legal action or retribution. They may try to intimidate you into believing or accepting their position. Truly trustworthy leaders do not need to do this.
When my children were young and did something wrong, they often feared telling the truth. They did not want to be grounded or lose privileges. When they lied or acted inappropriately, they denied it and avoided accountability. For me, those moments demanded honesty and responsibility. As a parent, I worked to instill character in my children, and trust was paramount. In my home and in my career, if you tell me the truth, I will do my best to help us work through it. If you lie to me, the issue escalates and can damage the relationship.
What is your trust quotient? Is trust the foundation of your character? What about your workplace: is it a trustworthy place to work? Are you a trusted and valued leader? None of us is perfect, and that is a given. We are smart and adaptable. If we fail to build trust, we can correct course and strengthen it.