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How to Create Organizational Trust

Every summer, Mom would enroll my brother and me in swimming lessons. The town we grew up in did not have a heated regulation public pool. The local swimming hole was a section of a mountain fed stream routed through a man-made dam. Large oak and sycamore trees shaded the stream making it even colder than it already was. We shivered from cold as we sat on the edge of the stream waiting our turn to jump into waters which seemed like the Pacific Ocean to a six year old. The water constantly moved and it was impossible to see the bottom of the stream. A drowning leaf that tickled our leg would be mistaken for an alligator, certainly not native to northern California. Fear was constant for all of us as we kicked, paddled and glubbed our way through the daily exercises and challenges.

Our instructors, all dressed in red suits, used a variety of techniques that ultimately got us to put our faces in the water and blow bubbles through our noses before progressing to the next stage of the lesson. At some point during the two-week process, we were expected to leap into the water and swim unassisted to our instructor. It seemed like a mile and was a huge challenge to a small child. We did, however, take the plunge. We trusted that our instructor would be there to save us just in case we floundered or could not make it.

How did we know our instructor would be there when we jumped? We knew because over time he had built our trust one day at a time. Managers must do this with employees, and companies must do this with customers. Trustworthiness is the backbone of any credible organization. In order to grow and survive in our fast-paced world, an organization must develop credibility by building trust with its customers and employees.

Let's consider the results of a recent survey conducted by Development Dimensions International Inc. Fifty-seven organizations surveyed 1108 workers in four different countries. A total of 56% of the non-management respondents indicated that a lack of trust at work was a problem and 46.5% of all respondents including managers indicated it was a problem. A recent Gallup Poll on public trust indicated that no one is trusted 100% of the time. Americans gave trust ratings to public entities as follows:

64% United States Military
58% Police Departments
57% Religious Organizations

Additionally, the professionals trusted the most were pharmacists, doctors, dentists, individual clergy, engineers, and college professors. The survey further indicated that the clergy was trusted more than twice as much as journalists, who were trusted twice as much as politicians.

Trust is indeed an important issue in American business today. So how does an individual or organization create trust with its customers or employees? It is carefully done one building block at a time. Trust creates a solid foundation. It endures through time when organizations and individuals prove themselves through their actions on a daily basis. In order to create trust within your organization, incorporate the following strategies.

Keep your commitments and promises. If there is any doubt that you will be unable to complete a commitment or promise, then do not give your word. Once trust is broken it is next to impossible to reestablish.

Share yourself honestly with open communications. When you are unwilling to share your feelings and concern it is an indication to others that you have something to hide. Effective interpersonal relationships can only be created when people are willing to share and to accept the information presented in a nonjudgmental way.

Listen. People trust others whom they believe understand them. Use your best listening skills by confirming your understanding of the conversation and the information presented. If you have not restated the information correctly, then accept the corrections.

Keep Confidences. If you want to destroy trust in a heartbeat, repeat confidential information that someone else has shared with you. If your client has provided helpful information but chooses to remain anonymous, then it is your responsibility to maintain their trust. Gossip has destroyed more than one organization as well as individual reputations because someone was unable to keep a confidence. The World War II saying "Loose lips sink ships" could easily be turned into "Loose lips destroy relationships."

Be accessible. When managers are available for their staff and customers, relationships are personalized. Strong and stable organizations have leaders who are approachable and caring. That message is indicated through the manager's actions as well as their word. A customer who feels respected, treated fairly and promptly will not only trust the individual, but the organization as well.

Tell the truth. Mark Twain once said, "Tell the truth and you don't have to remember anything." Honesty is always the best policy. If someone asks a question and you don't know the answer, tell them "That's a good question, let me find out and I'll get back to you." You create trust in a relationship through your honesty and willingness to follow through on your commitment or promise.

Show respect. Respectful individuals create a climate of trust by looking out for the best interests of others. When you willingly go the extra mile to create the best possible business scenario for a client, you establish a foundation of trust. Also by creating opportunities for your staff members to learn, grow or be promoted indicates, "I respect your ability and want you to succeed."

Personality traits include extroversion, competitiveness, and sales motivation. Consider the kinds of people in your organization who are successful in similar positions and look for candidates who seem to fit the mold. But don't weigh personality too heavily in your decision-making process because people with good attitudes can manage their personalities in order to do the job successfully.

Be fair and consistent. People like to work and do business with individuals who are predictable and dependable. Individuals who vacillate, easily change their viewpoint depending, or refuse to make a decision because it may upset some people, are viewed as wishy-washy. Because their actions and decisions are unpredictable, they are viewed as untrustworthy.

Cooperate and look for ways to help. Rather than avoiding a challenging situation, confront it head on with a willingness to develop alternative solutions. Your cooperation during uncomfortable situations indicates your willingness to help even in the most difficult of times. It establishes that you will not run from difficulties and can be trusted to stay with a challenge until it is resolved.

Arrange the physical setting in the interview area so the applicant will be comfortable and as relaxed as possible. If possible, do not interview across a desk as the physical barrier is somewhat intimidating and inhibits communication.

Avoid excuses and blaming. If you made a mistake, be honest and own up to it. Even if you personally did not make the mistake, avoid blaming another department or employee. Excuses and blame diminishes your personal credibility and that of your organization.

Be accountable. All interpersonal relationships are ultimately based on personal responsibility and accountability. A climate of chaos is created by lack of accountability. When people do not take responsibility for their actions, people are never sure if they will receive an open, honest answer. A business will only flourish as long as the employees are held accountable for their actions toward the customers and each other.

Habits and practices that foster trust are fairly obvious. Creating trust within an organization requires daily commitment. From the top of the organization to the bottom, everyone must repeatedly establish their credibility and reputation as trustworthy individuals. It is a matter of managing your own behavior on the job while doing what is ethically right and equitable with everyone. As a child, I learned to trust the swimming instructor based on his behavior and actions on a daily basis. He was consistent, listened to my concerns and fears, was always honest and had a genuine desire to help me. He walked his talk. I knew everyday that as I placed my life in his hands, he would never let me drown. Do your customers and employees trust that you will never let them drown?

2. Let the applicants do the talking. Refrain from talking in detail about the job or company because the applicants will use this information to answer your questions with what they think you want to hear - instead of what you need to know. A good rule of thumb is to make sure the applicant does at least 80% of the talking. The more applicants talk, the more insight you will gain into their attitudes and personalities.

Also, be careful not to explain the questions you ask as you may unintentionally give away the answer you are looking for. Don't say, We pride ourselves on superior customer service. How did you make the customers feel special in your last job? Rather, stick to short, open-ended questions like, Tell me what you think of the saying: The customer is always right.

3. Remain attentive. When you are conducting a series of interviews, it is easy to become distracted by other concerns, fatigued, or bored. If you feel you are losing focus, try paraphrasing what the applicant says. For example, if the applicant says, My last boss left a lot of things up to me, respond by saying, So you had a lot of responsibility? By paraphrasing, the applicant knows you are paying attention and you become involved in the conversation without dominating it.

4. Observe body language. Besides listening to what applicants say, watch and listen for how they say it. Is there a level of enthusiasm? Does the person ask a lot of questions? Does this person exhibit an interest in the job? Since nonverbal information represents the majority of a communication's meaning, attune yourself to these factors.

5. Take notes, but never on the application (it's a legal document that must be kept on file). And never make a not while the applicant is telling you something negative because the person will naturally become defensive and less than truthful. Wait until the subject changes to something positive and then write the note.

6. Maintain control. Don't allow the candidate to take over the interview. Some enthusiastic individuals may attempt to get the better of you by asking lots of questions or offering opinions rather than answering the questions directly and simply. Prevent this from happening by giving the interview structure from the beginning.

Tell applicants at the start that you will answer any questions at the end of the interview. Should the applicant interrupt with a question remind that person of the ground rules.

Be careful not to let time get away from you. Stick to the schedule unless there are extraordinary circumstances. The applicant will appreciate this and it will help you be more efficient.

7. Probe incomplete answers. Sometimes the answer offered does not address the question and you may feel the applicant is hiding something. Ask more questions to dig out the information. Say something like, I'm not sure I understand. Tell me more.

8. Close on a positive note without announcing a decision. Keep your reaction to yourself, thank them for their time, and let them know what the next step will be.

9. Write an interview summary immediately after completing the interview. Waiting even one hour will greatly reduce your recall of the conversation. Record your general impressions, along with any questions or concerns.

Eileen O. Brownell is President of Training Solutions, a Chico, CA based firm. For over 25 years, Eileen continues to be noted as the 'high-energy' speaker and trainer who captivates her audiences and makes learning a lasting experience. Her expertise is in the areas of customer service, conflict resolution, communication, and team development. Eileen wants to work with companies that want repeat and referral business, and with people who want to exceed customers' expectations. She can be found in Who's Who in California, American Women, Professional Speaking and Outstanding Young American Women.