Lean Tip
#3766 – Stand Up for What’s Right
People
respect honesty.
While
some bosses may like “yes” people who agree with everything they say, the best
leaders value insights and opinions. Don’t sacrifice your values and what you
believe just to appease your manager or try to get ahead. This will decrease
trust with others.
Lean Tip
#3767 – Don’t Keep Secrets, Be Transparent
As long
as you can explain what you’re doing and why you’re doing it, most people will
be able to understand.
Don’t
keep secrets or hoard information for yourself. The people you’re building
trust with are usually people on your team that you should be working
collaboratively with. Share the information with them that they need to succeed
too.
Lean Tip
#3768 – Trust Comes When Can Admit When You’re Wrong
People
don’t like to hear excuses. If you do something wrong, it’s best to just be
upfront about it. If you realize you were incorrect about something, own up to
it.
Being
vulnerable enough to admit fault can humanize you and make you appear more
trustworthy. Admitting mistakes is also part of being honest.
Lean Tip
#3769 – Consistently Model Trustworthy Behavior
Consistently
doing what you say you’ll do builds trust over time. Your team needs to see
that you hold to your commitments to them personally and to the team overall.
They also
want to see that you’re taking the time to regularly listen and work on
employee relationships as a daily practice. The leader’s trustworthiness needs
to shine through – not just once a quarter during a Town Hall, but in the
overall approach to the business day-to-day.
For
instance, if you say teamwork is a critical value for you personally and for
the company, reinforce the point by regularly collaborating across teams and
functions as a leader. Further, give credit when people do great collaborative
work, setting the stage for a team-first mentality and an appreciative culture.
Lean Tip
#3770 – Be Ready to Earn Trust
As the
old saying goes, talk is cheap. Trust must be earned. It comes from a conscious
effort to walk your talk, keep your promises, and align your behavior with your
purpose and values. Today, employees are putting company leaders at all levels
on notice that when it comes to earning trust, they better work harder.
Employees
who truly trust their leaders will move mountains for them and will be more
engaged in the business. That means your efforts to build trust are among the
most important things you do as a leader.
Lean Tip
#3771 – Getting Buy-in: Create an
Image of Change
Create an
image of the benefits of change and show your audience why taking action is
necessary. You can do this through a scenario planning framework. Drawing the
best-case scenario, worst-case scenario and realistic scenario can allow your
team to react and buy into your vision. You may also use case studies to help
your audience visualize what you are working to achieve.
Lean Tip
#3772 – Getting Buy-in: Show the Benefits
of Your Plan
Showing
how the plan is going to help the organization can allow your team to make
mental calculations of whether the idea is worth buying into. Sometimes, the
perceived loss of current benefits can make some people slow to accept change.
If you show them the positives of the change, they may be more likely to be
accepting of your plan.
Lean Tip
#3773 – Getting Buy-in: Be Prepared
to Compromise
Sometimes
an original idea isn't quite workable for a company or organization and may
need some change to move forward. Be prepared to accept a compromise if your
audience doesn't agree with your entire vision or even part of it. You may need
to work with others to find a workable solution that still fulfills your
desired goals.
Lean Tip
#3774 – Getting Buy-in: Lead
Your Team by Example
It can be easier to get buy-in from a
team if you lead by example. If an idea requires changes of staff, first make
the changes yourself to show team members you are prepared to do what you're
asking them to do. This can give them an idea of what you're asking of them as
well as encourage them to trust you.
Lean Tip
#3775 – Getting Buy-in: Leverage
Feedback
Use the team's feedback to improve the
original idea. People may be more likely to commit to action if they feel their
ideas are part of the plan. Not all feedback may become part of the plan, but
it is vital to acknowledge everyone who contributed by saying "our
plan." The way you communicate can help show others that the vision is not
from an individual but is the product of a team effort.
Lean Tip
#3776 – Managers Should Delegate to Develop
Delegating
to take drudge work off your plate is often shortsighted and misses an
opportunity to strengthen and empower your team. Instead, delegate with the
intent to grow and develop the capabilities and responsibilities of your
employees.
Lean Tip
#3777 – Give Employees Autonomy Over Their Work
It’s okay
if an employee doesn’t get from point A to point B using the same means you’d
use. When you delegate, accept that this may mean your employee may complete
the task differently than you would. Relinquish control, refrain from
micromanaging, and accept that your way may not be the only (or best) way to
complete a project.
Lean Tip
#3778 – Leaders Need to Provide the Necessary Resources
Many
leaders complain that when they first start implementing employee empowerment
practices in their organizations, they still get employees coming to their
offices and expecting their problems to be magically resolved for them.
Instead, offer tools, resources, and to be a sounding board for ideas.
Lean Tip
#3779 – Communicate the Vision of the Organization
It’s
becoming more and more important for employees to feel like they are
contributing to building something as opposed to just another cog in the wheel.
By clearly communicating the vision of the organization and how a team and its
individuals contribute to that vision, you are empowering your employees with
the knowledge that their contribution is making a difference.
Lean Tip
#3780 – Accept Ideas and Input
When
possible, include your employees in decision-making and goal-setting. If they
can’t be involved in these preliminary processes, be open to hearing their
ideas and input. Not only can being receptive to new ideas help empower your
employees, it can also open up your organization to great new ideas.
