Gaining trust is hard, especially for leaders.

One study finds that just being in a leadership position (a power position) makes gaining trust more difficult. Why? Because people in the low-power positions tend to have a natural assumption that those in higher-power positions “place little value on the relationship with them, thus [tend] to behave opportunistically.” This is an example of power-distance, and it can kill a company.

(To learn 7 ways to tell whether you have a power-distance gap with your coworkers click here).

Even when you have a strong relationship with those you lead, this power imbalance is always there in the background. There is always a fear that the leader doesn’t value the relationship as much as the follower. As a leader that is pretty sobering.

Leadership is hard. It’s a big responsibility. You can’t be a good leader if you don’t care about your people. But it’s not enough to care. It is not enough to be trustworthy. To be a great leader, you have to make sure that your people know you care and that they know they can count on you. Gaining trust is a never-ending process.

If you are like me, it bothers you to think that your employees may not fully trust you. So here are some tips on gaining trust that you can use to help reinforce your relationship with others. These are based on 4 factors for gaining trust developed by Wharton School of Business professor Maurice Schweitzer and Fast Company’s Lisa Evans.

4 Trust Building Tips

  • Establish credibility: There are many ways to build credibility. You do it by building expertise, mentoring others and being a resource to others in need. In our approachable leadership model the number one way to impact credibility is your follow up and follow through (what we call right action). Be someone others know they can rely on to do what you say. As Ben Franklin says, “Resolve to perform what you ought, and perform without fail what you resolve.”
  • Demonstrate warmth: Make others feel at ease and comfortable. Smile (remember you smile with your eyes). Make sure you are listening more than you are talking. I like to think about being a good neighbor.
  • Reduce status difference: Evans writes, “To establish trust among employees, Schweitzer recommends managers remove things from their office that reinforce the fact that they have power over the other person. This may be as simple as removing their suit jacket or tie.” De-emphasize the power relationship and emphasize instead the things you have in common.
  • Be vulnerable: Be a little clumsy or awkward (I’ve got that one nailed). Tell a corny joke. Don’t act like a boss. Be empathetic and present with the other person. Open your Approachability Window a little.

Approachable leaders naturally build trust. One interesting side note from the studies – psychologists have used these four factors to gain patient trust for years.

Have you ever noticed a lack of trust with those you lead? Do people make assumptions about you just because you are in a power position? What have you done to build trust with those you lead? Let us know in the comments, or share on your favorite social network. Let us know what you think!

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