Page 46 - How to Motivate Every Employee

Build trust: Trust is an essential element in managing people and
building a high-performing organization. It’s the foundation upon
which all relationships are built. According to Tom Peters,
“Technique and technology are important. But adding trust is the
issue of the decade.” Peters suggests that managers must take a “high-
tech and high-trust” approach, putting the issue of trust at the top of
the agenda and treating it like a “hard issue,” not a “soft issue.” If
employees feel you don’t trust them to do their jobs correctly, they’ll
be reluctant to do much without your approval. On the other hand,
when they feel trusted that you can believe they’ll do the right things,
they’ll naturally want to do things well and be deserving of your trust.
Show employees they are worthy of your trust: When you put your
trust in others, you’re sending a strong message that says, “I think
you’re trustworthy.” This tells people that you have faith in their abil-
ity and competence and you believe they’ve got what it takes to do
the job. Trust is a prerequisite for building confidence in people.
Some managers don’t discuss the issue of trust, or they use the word
in very limited contexts, often almost negatively. For example, “Now,
Matt, I trust you to do this right” means “Don’t screw up, Matt.” And,
“We’re trusting you to do your best, Jane” really sends the message,
“We’re not sure what’s happening here, so we’re just hoping that you
can somehow pull this off.” These, so-called, expressions of “trust”
are unlikely to reassure Matt or Jane. Show your trust in employees
by allowing them to think for themselves, ask questions, and make
their own decisions. Those are the “real” expressions of trust employ-
ees can sense and believe. This is how smart managers show that
employees they are worthy of their trust.

“The trust that we put in ourselves makes us feel
trust in others.”
—François de la Rochefoucauld, 17th-century French writer

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