In coaching leaders, I frequently hear the statement, “I looked at the job board and had no idea who half of my customers are.” As a small business grows, the control or influence that a manager has decreases and, in turn, the trust they have in their team must increase. Quite simply, there is not enough time for a manager to oversee the functions of a department or business without help.
This transition can be difficult for managers who have either never trusted someone else to complete tasks with little or no oversight or have trusted others with disappointing results. In such cases, it is important for the manager to refocus and practice the skill of trusting, because it is their duty as a manager to trust employees in their care. In turn, employees will trust the direction of their manager when they are both trusting and trustworthy. Simply put, a manager must have faith in their team first, and then their team will trust them to lead and give direction.
The current world of work dictates that knowledge-based or service-based individuals will operate independently without a manager present in most cases. Because of this, trust is important on every job with each contributor responsible for critical functions and outcomes. Author Simon Sinek captured this well in his evaluation of what makes a great Navy SEAL team: “(SEALs) would rather have a medium performer of high trust and sometimes a low performer of high trust, … over the high performer of low trust.” Because this idea exists in one of the highest performing organizations on the planet, businesses in the current world of work, where many knowledge- or service-based employees operate independently, should take heed and prioritize trust as well.
For those in management, utilize the following three steps to practice and verify the trust you give to those who work with you.
- Set clear expectations, and make sure that one person is responsible and accountable for completing a task. Often, I find that unclear or incomplete directions are given to employees. A request to clean up the job site when the employee is done for the day is different from asking them to take all the trash to the truck, put away all tools, and sweep up prior to leaving. The first scenario is likely to result in tidy stacks of debris or tools, while the second scenario assures that every job site is clean every day. Spend the extra few seconds to clarify your expectations and save yourself a series of phone calls from the homeowner to you and then from you to the employee.
- Practice accountability with your team. Whether you are performing functions in the field or behind a desk, hold yourself accountable to the same standards that you hold your employees. If they must clean up their work area prior to going home, practice cleaning up your own work area before you hold them accountable. The order makes a difference. “Do as I do” works significantly better for teams than “Do as I say.”
- Dedicate yourself to becoming a better leader and teaching others to lead alongside you. Remember that leadership is not a title or specific position but a designation given to those who have followers. Leaders motivate others, create trust, and inspire people to lead regardless of their position. Inspired people grow, get better, and improve their performance over time. By spending time and effort with your team, their work will improve.
By putting these three steps into practice and creating trust in your organization, you will find that the time to complete tasks is created by other people on your team. You won’t have to duplicate yourself; you’ll simply need to trust that your team can do things better.
Chris McQueen
Chris McQueen is a Business Development Advisor for Violand Management Associates (VMA), a highly respected consulting company in the restoration and cleaning industries. Chris is a veteran of the restoration industry, having worked as an independent claims adjuster, estimate reviewer, and district manager for the world’s largest independent claims management company. Through Violand, Chris works with companies to develop their people and their profits. To reach him, visit Violand.com or call (330) 966-0700
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