{"id":80711,"date":"2020-12-01t20:00:01","date_gmt":"2020-12-02t01:00:01","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/48e130086c.nxcli.net\/?p=80711"},"modified":"2020-12-02t12:03:57","modified_gmt":"2020-12-02t17:03:57","slug":"organizational-trust-top-down-and-bottom-up","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"\/\/www.g005e.com\/2020\/12\/01\/organizational-trust-top-down-and-bottom-up\/","title":{"rendered":"organizational trust: top-down and bottom-up"},"content":{"rendered":"
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\"businesspeople<\/a>are employees angry? take time to listen.
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by steven e. sacks<\/i>
\nthe new fundamentals<\/i><\/a><\/p>\n

there should be trust among individuals, trust among teams and finally, trust within an organization. the first two have their particular challenges, but when you consider establishing trust across an entire organization, you have to address issues that have been wider impact such as how to communicate pending layoffs, changes in employee benefit packages, or the sale or merger of the firm or organization.<\/p>\n

more: <\/b>staff orientation: a little investment goes a long way<\/a> | building teamwork under covid pressure<\/a> | make your writing count<\/a> | etiquette never goes out of style<\/a> | make news, not noise<\/a> | take that extra breath with email<\/a> | effective communications in the age of covid<\/a> | the new covid-19 workplace: are you prepared?<\/a> | does your firm\u2019s board know its role?<\/a> | are executive performance reviews dangerous?<\/a> | there is no leadership without integrity<\/a>
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a firm or company must explain the how<\/strong> as well as the what<\/strong> and the why<\/strong> when informing employees. change can be shocking, it can be demoralizing and it can raise stress to unhealthy levels. it can also increase feelings of hurt and betrayal. we are in a state of flux because of the covid-19 pandemic, which has only added to the tough challenges of globalization, technology and competition. these and other change agents have long been a source of angst well before the pandemic appeared on our radar screens.
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\nobserve. acknowledge. support.<\/strong><\/p>\n

what happened and why? this is a question employees at all levels ask when their professional lives are upended. they remember the work environment and business philosophy when they first started in the organization. what began as a business impact becomes more of an emotional impact. leaders feel uncomfortable witnessing their employees\u2019 grief. they never considered or prepared for the \u201chuman\u201d side of running a business. \u201cit\u2019s just the cost of doing business,\u201d they tell their people. this hardened (some say ruthless) approach is what they feel most comfortable with. it\u2019s what they trained and were hired for. leaders are oblivious to the damage done to employees\u2019 psyche. morale and motivation are depleted, and employees start to feel they are responsible for the continued decline of the firm or company. in all, they feel betrayed.<\/p>\n

betrayal is an overwhelming feeling. it leads to an air of resignation and diminished trust in the organization\u2019s leaders. if leaders do not address betrayal, then they will lose the support and trust of all employees. while leadership does not communicate fully and completely, you can be sure that employees congregating around the water cooler (or a zoom after-hour cocktail gathering) will fully express their feelings. if this is the case, then leaders need to raise their own level of awareness. the key point for leaders is not to think that once a major issue disappears \u201call will be good.\u201d<\/p>\n

in many cases, this is just being delusional.<\/p>\n

leaders must really<\/strong> listen to the anger and despair employees feel and find out what is important to their people.<\/p>\n

if your organization\u2019s values statement claims that openness and honesty are at the top of the list, then encourage and allow employees to express their feelings in a constructive way. it will enable them to reduce their level of negative feelings and pent-up frustration. as a leader, however you choose to do this \u2013 whether by zoom or in-person meeting with direct reports or even through the use of an outside consultant\/facilitator \u2013 it must send a message that you actually care. if you allow employees to verbalize their distress, you in turn have to pay close attention to what they are feeling and respond accordingly; specifically, that you can empathize<\/strong> and respect<\/strong> their hurt.<\/p>\n

as i mentioned, this dynamic may be too tough for some leaders because they either never had the necessary training or their my-way-or-the-highway approach has been the organization\u2019s guiding principle. so, if the leader can guide the discussion on healing \u2013 first with key employees and then with the entire organization \u2013 this will begin to right the ship.<\/p>\n

\u201ccontrary to what most people believe, trust is not some soft, illusive quality that you either have or you don\u2019t; rather, trust is a pragmatic, tangible, actionable asset that you can create.\u201d \u2013 stephen m.r. covey<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

leaders should be taking the temperature within their organization. listen to what is being said from the common areas and shop floors to the cafeteria and c-suites. besides listening to the expressed feelings of concern, doubt, frustration and anger, among other emotions, look at the behaviors of the employees. as a leader, don\u2019t stop at listening to what is being said;<\/p>\n